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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23221861">Light in the Darkness</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnight_Queen/pseuds/Midnight_Queen'>Midnight_Queen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Castlevania (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon-typical language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, It's Castlevania Netflix guys there's violence and swearing idk what else to tell you, Mild Sexual Content, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexual Tension, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:20:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>87,797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23221861</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnight_Queen/pseuds/Midnight_Queen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“So…How is it that a man who was born and raised to hunt monsters, a half-vampire hybrid, and a Speaker-Magician all ended up traveling together?” she asked softly, looking curiously between her three new companions. Trevor met her gaze with his own blue-eyed stare, crossing his arms over his chest. Sypha brushed a few strands of her short, curly, reddish hair from her face and smiled at her from where she sat to Lucia’s right. Alucard simply quirked an eyebrow. “It sounds like the start of a bad joke.”<br/>“How did another half-vampire hybrid who’s clearly not from around here end up in Wallachia getting attacked on the road at night by a horde of night creatures?” Trevor asked. Sypha turned her head sharply to look at him for a moment before looking away and muttering something about him being rude. Alucard looked between Trevor and Lucia for a moment.<br/>“I asked you first.” Lucia smirked, snickering a little. Trevor rolled his eyes and scoffed a short laugh.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alucard (Castlevania)/Other(s), Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>235</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>222</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Did you hear that?” Trevor asked, eyes flickering between Sypha and Alucard where they sat across the trio’s small campfire from him. The noise that had set him on edge came again, snapping twigs and deep, low snarls that could only be attributed to night creatures.</p>
<p>“Another raid sent to Arges?” Sypha wondered out loud.</p>
<p>“They’re getting bolder. The sun has barely set,” Alucard commented.</p>
<p>Trevor shrugged, rising to his feet and kicking dirt into the fire to put it out. Alucard rose as well, loosening his sword in its sheath, and Sypha pulled her hood up. Trevor took to the trees, moving through the branches as quickly and quietly as he could until he caught sight of the horde of night creatures on the road. Seven night creatures, mostly with vaguely reptilian appearances, leathery bat-like wings for arms, long fangs, and glowing red eyes trudged along the road. Farther ahead, Trevor could see Alucard, still standing in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to ambush them.</p>
<p>Between the night creatures, where Trevor sat on a sturdy tree branch, and Alucard, however, was another lone figure. They wore a dark red cloak, with the hood drawn up to cover most of their face. They were not all that tall—taller than Sypha by a little bit, but still noticeably shorter than Trevor—and while Trevor knew that because someone did not appear to be carrying a weapon, it was not an indication they did not have one, he very much doubted this lone traveler’s ability to take on a horde of night creatures.</p>
<p>“Shit!” he swore vehemently. He readied his whip, waiting a few more seconds for the horde of night creatures to draw close to his vantage point, eyes flickering back to the traveler, and to Alucard, who had moved from the shadows a short way’s farther up the road. <em>What the fuck is this person stopping for? Don’t tell me they’re stupid enough to try and fight this horde on their own, </em>he thought.</p>
<p>Shaking himself from his thoughts, he leapt from his tree branch and cracked his whip at one of the bat-winged beasts. The traveler had stopped, and, faster than Trevor thought should be possible, drew a sword from inside their cloak and turned to slash at a night creature that rushed at them on two legs with short, bat-like, winged arms reaching towards them. Trevor did not have time to think on it, however, as the beast he had attacked turned and rounded on him.</p>
<p>Some time later—Trevor could not tell if it was a few seconds, or if minutes had stretched by as they fought the night creatures—someone crashed into his back with a grunt. Trevor nearly turned to swing at whatever it was, but it sounded and felt human enough. Trevor glanced around quickly. Sypha stood nearby, casting a fireball at one of the remaining night creatures, and Trevor caught a quick glimpse of Alucard, darting at inhuman speed to daze, confuse, and then stab another night creature. He spared a quick glance over his shoulder to see the traveler, hood thrown back to reveal long waves of dark hair.</p>
<p>“What <em>the fuck</em> is he doing?” the traveler asked in a pitch and accent that was almost frighteningly similar to how Sypha spoke. Trevor startled slightly, not expecting the only person out at this time of night, and alone at that, to be a young woman. Then he registered her question, guessed she had caught sight of Alucard’s supernatural speed, and stammered in an attempt to answer.</p>
<p>“Well—” he cut off, ducking under a punch from the night creature in front of him, tugging the mysterious woman’s cloak as he did so she would not catch the rebound of the strike. She made a sound of protest, turning back to the night creature that had attacked her and snarling at it. Trevor furrowed his eyebrows as he ducked under another swing from the beast before kicking its legs out, quickly moving to kneel over its chest as he picked up the blade it had dropped, and stabbed the creature. “It’s a bit of a long story, actually. I—”</p>
<p>The young woman was gone. It was as if she disappeared into thin air. A split second later, Trevor watched as she swung her sword on another night creature, driving it backwards. Faster than his eyes could track, she appeared at its side, drew a dagger, and slashed across its ribs. Trevor raised both his eyebrows as she tossed her sword aside, jumping onto the creature’s back, and wrapping her legs tightly around its torso. The creature flailed in an attempt to throw her, but the woman reached for its face with her free hand, pulling its head back, and plunging her dagger into the soft base of its throat and into its heart. She quickly withdrew her blade, pitching forward as the creature fell, and rolling up to her feet again. She quickly scanned the area, hands up, and holding her knife underhanded against her forearm. Trevor glanced around as well, finding all the night creatures dead, some with smoldering wounds courtesy of Sypha’s fireballs. Sypha and Alucard stood nearby, both of them staring at the young woman with varying degrees of shock and confusion.</p>
<p>“Alright,” Trevor drawled, looking back to the young woman, who still held her knife defensively and eyes them warily. “We’re not going to hurt you, promise. But I do have questions. Namely what the fuck was that, and how did you do it?” The young woman scoffed a short laugh, tucking her dagger back into her belt and quickly retrieving her sword to sheath it.</p>
<p>“I would think it obvious, Belmont. I just…didn’t think there <em>were</em> any others,” Alucard commented. Trevor barely had time to roll his eyes before Alucard turned his attention to the young woman. “You’re like me, are you not? Half-vampire, half-human?”</p>
<p>“And here I thought you knew how to be nice,” Sypha commented before the young woman could answer. Said woman raised an eyebrow, brushing her dark hair back from her face as she glanced between Alucard and Sypha. “You can’t just ask someone if they’re half-vampire, Alucard!” The woman let out a short laugh, and Sypha stepped forward, offering her hand to shake. “I’m Sypha Belnades. What’s your name? And how did you end up out here alone so late?”  </p>
<p>“My name is Lucia.” The woman smiled, shaking Sypha’s hand. “I…I’m traveling alone, as you probably guessed. I was going to stop soon for the night when—” she paused to wave a hand in front of her, gesturing vaguely at the now-dead night creatures. “And you two are…?” Lucia trailed off, icy blue eyes landing on Trevor, then Alucard.</p>
<p>“Trevor Belmont,” Trevor answered, approaching her and Sypha. Lucia nodded and knit her eyebrows together. Her eyes widened in recognition and she opened her mouth to speak again. “Yes, of House Belmont. We’re not quite extinct.” Lucia nodded sharply, turning to look at Alucard, who walked over to the group.</p>
<p>“Alucard,” he replied, inclining his head slightly, a gesture Lucia returned. He offered his hand, and when Lucia took it for a handshake, Alucard brought her hand to his lips, smirking in a way Trevor would have called mischievous if he did not know better. “You still haven’t answered my question, though.” Lucia rolled her eyes, letting her hand fall back to her side.</p>
<p>“Yes.” She grinned widely, purposefully showing Alucard her fangs. He raised one blond eyebrow and Sypha stifled a laugh. “Yes, I am half-human, half-vampire, like you. And we’re not the only ones, either. I’ve met…” she trailed off, staring into space for a moment. “More than a few others.”</p>
<p>“As interested as I am to know how that happened,” Sypha said.</p>
<p>“I’m not,” Trevor interrupted, shaking his head. “Some things I just don’t need to know.”</p>
<p>“In any case,” Sypha continued. “Tell me you weren’t going all the way to Arges tonight?”</p>
<p>“No,” Lucia chuckled, shaking her head. “I’m not heading for Arges tonight.”</p>
<p>“Oh good! You know…” Sypha trailed off, glancing back at Trevor and Alucard. “You could travel with us, or at least share our camp tonight. It’s probably safer, even if you can <em>clearly</em> handle yourself.” Lucia looked back and forth between Sypha’s impish smirk, Trevor’s unreadable expression, and Alucard’s small smile. After a few moments staring into space, nodding slightly to herself as she considered her options, Lucia spoke.</p>
<p>“I suppose I can stay with you, if you wouldn’t mind it,” she said.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When the four returned to the campsite where Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard had left their covered wagon, Sypha took to rounding up and soothing the horses. Trevor and Lucia rebuilt the fire pit, and soon all of them gathered around it, sitting on the ground. Lucia leaned back against the wagon, tucking one leg up to her chest and wrapping her arms loosely around it, her other leg stretched out in front of her.</p>
<p>“So…How is it that a man who was born and raised to hunt monsters, a half-vampire hybrid, and a Speaker-Magician all ended up traveling together?” she asked softly, looking curiously between her three new companions. Trevor met her gaze with his own blue-eyed stare, crossing his arms over his chest. Sypha brushed a few strands of her short, curly, reddish hair from her face and smiled at her from where she sat to Lucia’s right. Alucard simply quirked an eyebrow. “It sounds like the start of a bad joke.”</p>
<p>“How did another half-vampire hybrid who’s clearly not from around here end up in Wallachia getting attacked on the road at night by a horde of night creatures?” Trevor asked. Sypha turned her head sharply to look at him for a moment before looking away and muttering something about him being rude. Alucard looked between Trevor and Lucia for a moment.</p>
<p>“I asked you first.” Lucia smirked, snickering a little. Trevor rolled his eyes and scoffed a short laugh. Lucia smiled. <em>I must be doing something right, if I can get this grumpy bastard to laugh</em>, she thought.</p>
<p>“We are…working together, to stop my father, Dracula, and his hordes of the night,” Alucard said. Lucia turned to look at him. He had not looked at any of them as he spoke, his golden eyes fixated on the fire instead and his face partially obscured by his long golden-blond hair. <em>His father, Dracula? Since when does Dracula have a son? </em>Lucia raised her eyebrows.</p>
<p>“The Speakers tell stories, which we believe contain information about the future. One speaks of a savoir who sleeps under the city of Gresit, who will save us from Dracula. I went looking in the catacombs under the city, to see if the legends were true…” Sypha trailed off, glancing at Trevor. “I met Trevor, and we…<em>met </em>Alucard under the city, deeper in the catacombs.” Both Trevor and Alucard snickered slightly. Lucia quirked an eyebrow. <em>I’d love to hear the rest of that story, </em>she thought.</p>
<p>“The same story says that the sleeping soldier would be met by a hunter and a scholar,” Alucard added. Lucia nodded.</p>
<p>“So, the three of you are going to…kill Dracula, stop his night hordes and their war on humanity?” she asked, somewhat incredulously.</p>
<p>“Well when you say it like <em>that,</em>” Trevor said, smiling wryly. Lucia shook her head, smiling softly. <em>What are the odds of this? What are the odds I stumble across maybe the only other people on Earth brave or foolish enough to try and stop Dracula’s war? </em>She wondered, laughing. “What the hell is so funny?”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Lucia giggled. “You asked why I was here, in Wallachia. And I just…I hate to put so much belief in ideas like destiny or fate, but it just so happens that I’m also here trying to stop Dracula’s war.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Alucard asked, tilting his head towards her. Lucia scrunched her face.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t my goal originally.” She sighed deeply, running a hand through her hair. “I was on a revenge mission. The group of vampires I was after joined Dracula’s cause, and came here. Then I learned the rumors of Dracula unleashing his hordes on Wallachia were true. Night creatures were abroad in Wallachia, terrorizing its people. I figured that if I was already here, and already planned on killing vampires, I had to do what I could to help these people too, by stopping this war.”</p>
<p>Lucia shifted under the combined gaze of Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard. Conversation sputtered out soon after. Trevor was the first to fall asleep, and Sypha followed soon after. Alucard stayed awake longer, and Lucia guessed he was as lost in his thoughts as she was. Sleep came for them both eventually, and Lucia told herself, already half-asleep, that she would go out and hunt something in the morning, before Trevor and Sypha woke.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Lucia woke the next morning, their fire had gone out. It was still dark, but the sky glowed the dark blue of predawn light. She sighed, groaning slightly and moving to roll onto her back only to find her legs immobilized by the weight of another person. Lucia turned her head, finding Sypha asleep next to her, her legs thrown over Lucia’s and one arm tucked under her head, the other stretched out to her side. Lucia smiled, shaking her head as she carefully moved Sypha’s legs and rose to her feet.</p>
<p><em>At least they’re still asleep. I should be able to go out to the woods, find something to eat, and be back before Trevor and Sypha wake up. Maybe I’ll bring whatever I hunt back, and they can use the meat since that’s not what I need right now. Offering food usually gets me into people’s good graces. If Alucard’s already awake when I get back…Well, he’s half-vampire too. He knows,</em> Lucia thought as she moved quietly around their camp, gathering her satchel and pulling it over her shoulder. Her ears twitched slightly as she heard someone shifting behind her, waking up. A quick glance to her side told her Trevor and Sypha were still asleep. <em>Speak of the Devil... </em></p>
<p>“Good morning, Alucard.” Lucia smiled, turning to face the blond as he sat up with a stifled groan.</p>
<p>“Can it even be considered morning if it’s still dark?” he mumbled. Lucia snickered. “What are you doing up so early?”</p>
<p>“Did I wake you up?” Lucia asked, smile falling from her face. Alucard made a face that was somehow both irritated and sympathetic, nodding. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I…I have to go hunting quickly. I’ll be back before the others wake up, hopefully.”</p>
<p>“Hunting?” Alucard echoed, blinking blearily. <em>Not really a morning person, is he? Bedhead… looks good on him, though. Which is wildly unfair,</em> Lucia thought, eyeing Alucard’s still sleepy face and mussed hair.</p>
<p>“I find that learning we need both blood and human food to live is…unsettling for people. Even the rare ones who mostly do alright with learning I’m half-vampire to begin with,” Lucia replied. She watched the realization dawn on him, his eyes suddenly bright and alert as he sat up straighter.</p>
<p>“Right, yes,” he said, trailing off. “I can’t say I’ve traveled with humans very much, but I imagine that can be quite the shock.” Lucia chuckled mirthlessly before giving Alucard a thoughtful look.</p>
<p>“Do you want to come with me?” she asked. “How long has it been since you ate anything?”</p>
<p>“No, thank you,” Alucard replied, shaking his head. “I had a supply in my private keep under Gresit. Go ahead and hunt something for yourself.” Lucia smiled, nodding once, before turning to head into the forest. She paused at the edge of the trees, turning to look over her shoulder back at Alucard.</p>
<p>“What are the odds Trevor and Sypha would want to eat a rabbit if I brought one or two back?” she asked.</p>
<p>“I can’t imagine either of them would say no to food,” Alucard replied with a wry smile. “If he were hungry enough, even Belmont might not care where you got it, or that said rabbit has already been conveniently drained of blood.” Lucia smirked, giving Alucard a short wave as she turned to leave the campsite.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia returned to camp—one rabbit in hand, drained of blood—just as dawn was breaking. Even before she approached, she could smell woodsmoke, and guessed that Alucard had reignited the fire. She heard some shuffling movement and indistinct murmuring. Lucia paused just past the tree line, tilting her head back to let the warmth of the sun wash over her face, smiling absently and sighing contentedly. It was a quiet, universal peace. Anywhere in the world Lucia had traveled, it was the same sun that granted her moments like this; a moment to breathe, a soothing lull before she was swept up in the storm again.</p>
<p>Her eyes snapped open when she felt someone’s gaze on her, and her eyes met Alucard’s golden ones, almost glowing in their reflection of the morning light. He watched her with wide eyes and lifted a hand to his mouth. Lucia knit her eyebrows, tilting her head slightly. Alucard gave her a pointed look and almost frantically wiped at his mouth. Lucia’s eyes widened and her own hand flew to her mouth, wincing slightly when it came back bloody. She pulled her cloak up to her face with her free hand, wiping away any remaining blood, and smiling sheepishly at Alucard as she approached the camp.</p>
<p>“Thanks for that,” the murmured gratefully to Alucard as she walked to stand next to him.</p>
<p>“I hadn’t taken you for a messy eater,” he teased, smirking slightly. Lucia raised her eyebrows, scoffing slightly.</p>
<p>“I’m <em>not</em>,” she defended. “Not usually.” Alucard hummed softly in response.</p>
<p>“Good morning!” Sypha said cheerfully, stretching her arms over her head where she stood nearby.</p>
<p>“Morning!” Lucia smirked when Trevor yawned, grumbling something almost unintelligible. “Hmm. What if I said I brought breakfast?” she asked, holding up the rabbit she had caught. Trevor perked up almost immediately.</p>
<p><em>“Now</em>, it’s a good morning,” he said, stepping towards her and reaching out a hand. “Give it here, I’ll start cooking.” Lucia nodded, handing the rabbit over to Trevor, who made quick work of skinning it, prepping it, and setting it over the fire to cook.</p>
<p>“You didn’t have to go hunting for us, you know,” Sypha said after a few moments. Lucia hummed, turning to look at her. “We have food, Lucia.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Lucia responded. “But I figured I could do something nice for you, after you helped me out last night and let me share your camp.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t necessary,” Trevor said, looking up from the fire and staring at Lucia. “<em>Much</em> appreciated, of course, but not necessary.” Lucia gave a half-smile, nodding.</p>
<p>Once the rabbit was cooked, Trevor cut the meat equally four ways and passed some around to everyone where they sat in a loose circle around the fire. They ate mostly in silence, reaching a mutual, unspoken agreement to clean up and pack up camp once they finished. Lucia picked up her sword from where she had left it, fastening her sword belt back on before helping Sypha with the horses.</p>
<p>“So,” Lucia began as she climbed into the back of the covered wagon. Alucard offered a hand to help her up, and she smiled gratefully as she took it. “If not Arges, where <em>are</em> we headed?”</p>
<p>“The Belmont Hold,” Trevor replied.</p>
<p>“A library that holds the accumulated knowledge of generations of Belmonts,” Alucard added.</p>
<p>“If there are solutions to the problems of finding and killing Dracula—and probably whatever vampires you’re after, Lucia—they are in the Hold,” Trevor continued. “We should be there tonight.”</p>
<p>“And since I am a Speaker, and Alucard has studied the great repository of knowledge in Dracula’s library, we figured we’d be able to find some useful information there,” Sypha added. Lucia nodded eagerly.</p>
<p>“I might be able to help with that too,” she said, grinning. Alucard perked up, raising an eyebrow at her. Sypha turned around in her seat at the front of the wagon to look at her skeptically.</p>
<p>“How so?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Well, Trevor was right last night,” Lucia said. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Trevor sit up straighter as he guided the horses, humming contently. “I’m not from Wallachia. I was born in a town just outside Florence, I spent a long portion of time in Toledo, and I travelled from there across Europe to get here. All of that to say I can speak more than a few languages, and read and write in most of the romance ones.”</p>
<p>“¿Hablas castellano?” Sypha asked suddenly. Alucard turned his head sharply to look at her, and Trevor startled slightly, turning to give Sypha a look.</p>
<p>“Sí,” Lucia replied, shrugging one shoulder. Alucard glanced over at her, impressed. Lucia smirked, sitting up straighter and lifting her chin.</p>
<p>“How is it that you traveled so much?” Sypha asked. “I mean, I know I traveled a lot and learned new languages because it’s how we Speakers live, but…” Lucia shifted uncomfortably, looking down, away from both Sypha and Alucard.</p>
<p>“My mother and I…We moved around a lot when I was young,” Lucia said carefully, looking up to gauge their reactions. Alucard and Sypha were looking attentively at her, and she could tell Trevor was listening intently. “We never settled in one village for very long, though we did eventually stay roughly in the region of Castilla…My aunt inherited a family estate about two days’ ride outside Toledo, and my mother and I spent a lot of time there when we couldn’t find anywhere else that was safe.”</p>
<p>“Why wouldn’t anywhere else be safe?” Trevor asked. He shifted slightly in his seat, clearly curious, but uncomfortable asking such a personal question. Lucia smirked, chuckling almost bitterly, and flashed her fangs, though she knew Trevor could not see, given that he was turned around looking towards the road.</p>
<p>“Why do you think?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Oh. Right,” Trevor muttered.</p>
<p>Alucard turned to Lucia with a mixed expression; his eyes were sad, sympathetic, but there was a fire deep in them, and a tightness in his jaw that belied an exasperated outrage. Lucia quirked an eyebrow, inclining her head slightly towards him. <em>I know that feeling, </em>she thought. Sypha’s eyes widened with the realization and she stuttered, looking away for a moment before turning back to Lucia with such earnest, empathetic compassion in her bright blue eyes that Lucia was slightly taken aback.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” Sypha told her. Lucia nodded her thanks, smiling sadly.</p>
<p>“It’s funny, in a morbid way, to think that we are on a quest to kill my father…Yet it seems I had a happier childhood than most of you,” Alucard commented, looking pensive. Lucia laid a hand on his arm, smiling internally when he did not pull away from the touch.</p>
<p>The group lapsed into silence. Lucia leaned back, closing her eyes and listening to the rustle of the wind through the trees, the soft creak of the wagon’s wheels, and the cheerful song of the birds. After a while, Trevor handed the reins to Sypha, leaning back in the front seat of the wagon, and folding his arms behind his head.</p>
<hr/>
<p> “There,” Trevor said sometime late in the night, sitting up from where he had leaned back as something nearby clearly caught his attention. Lucia and Alucard perked up from where they sat at the back of the wagon, Lucia leaning turning towards the sound of Trevor’s voice. “That’s my tree. I used to play in that tree. We’re nearly at the house.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to imagine you playing,” Sypha said a moment later.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Trevor scoffed slightly. “I suppose so. But it was everything, that tree. It was my house, and my boat, and my fort. It was anything I wanted it to be…” he trailed off, turning to lean over into the back of the wagon and look at the tree. “Goodnight, tree.”</p>
<p>Lucia followed Trevor’s look to the old, gnarled tree, staring thoughtfully at it as the wagon passed. She smiled softly, allowing herself to imagine a younger, more carefree Trevor climbing the tree, pretending it was the crow’s nest of a ship, or using broken branches as swords to fight imaginary monsters. Her smile faded soon after, as the wagon rounded a bend and approached the crumbling, burnt out ruins of the old Belmont Estate.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And there we have it folks! Chapter two! Leave a comment to let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia’s heart wrenched in her chest as she scanned the estate. The building itself has once been made of pale gray stone, now faded, worn, and scorch-marked. The stone fountain in front of the house had long dried up, and the cobblestones were uneven. Towers and archways crumbled, and lingering scorch marks made Lucia wince, exhaling sharply as memories rose unbidden in her mind; the smoldering remains of her first home, torches, pitchforks, and people shouting as her mother picked her up and ran, so many other houses they had fled or watched go up in flames that they blurred together in Lucia’s mind, her mother.</p>
<p>
  <em>Her mother. Julia… “Stop!” Lucia screamed, pushing her way to the front of the crowd, watching the local bishop and several priests escort her mother to the town square. “You can’t do this! She’s done nothing wrong! She’s not a witch!” The crowd roared and yelled and spat curses at her. She caught one of the priests by the shoulder, pleading with him. The bishop stepped forward and brandished a silver cross in her face. Lucia reeled, turned away, hissing in pain…</em>
</p>
<p>Lucia shook herself from her thoughts, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Alucard stopped, standing next to her for a moment with a look on his face that was both curious and concerned. Lucia shook her head slightly, a murmured <em>not now </em>escaping her lips as she walked past him. He gave a soft hum in response, and the pair quickly caught up with Trevor and Sypha. Sypha handed each of them a torch as Trevor led them through what was left of the entrance to the old Belmont house.</p>
<p>“This was your home?” Sypha asked. Lucia ducked under some fallen debris partially obscuring the doorway they entered, noticing with a bittersweet heaviness in her chest that ivy and flowering vines spiraled up the columns and walls.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Trevor grunted.</p>
<p>“You grew up here,” Sypha continued. Trevor gave another short, noncommittal grunt in response. “I can’t imagine what it was like to grow up in a single place.” Sypha looked thoughtfully up a sunken-in staircase as Trevor moved on into the next room.</p>
<p>“It was…” Trevor trailed off, kneeling on the ground in the next room, brushing dirt and dust from the floor. <em>What did he find there? The entrance to the Hold? </em>“It was fine. It wasn’t the worst way to grow up.”</p>
<p>“How old were you when your family home was taken?” Alucard asked softly, one hand brushing against a nearby column with vines of large blue flowers winding upwards. </p>
<p>“Thirteen?” Trevor sighed. “Fourteen? Something like that.”</p>
<p>“You’ve been on your own since you were thirteen?” Sypha asked. Lucia frowned, shifting slightly on her feet and looking away. <em>Thirteen. Good Lord. At least…At least I had my mother, </em>Lucia thought.</p>
<p>“Maybe twelve. Who remembers that sort of thing?” Trevor asked, almost flippantly.</p>
<p>Lucia knit her eyebrows and made a small sound in the back of her throat. <em>That’s not better! </em>She moved to stand near Sypha, and Alucard walked over to the group, pausing next to where Trevor was still kneeling on the ground.</p>
<p>“Twelve,” Alucard repeated slowly.</p>
<p>“Is there a point to these questions?” Trevor asked.</p>
<p>“I’m disturbed to find that I had more of a childhood than you did,” Alucard said.</p>
<p>“Well then, you really don’t want me to start on mine,” Lucia commented. Trevor smirked.</p>
<p>“And your dad’s fucking Dracula,” he said, nodding towards Alucard.</p>
<p>There was silence for a moment, before Alucard chuckled. That seemed to have broken the tension in the air, and Lucia, Sypha, and Trevor quickly joined in his laughter. The group’s laughter soon faded, and Trevor and Sypha moved on, Trevor leading them into another part of the old house. Alucard lingered for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, and Lucia tilted her head curiously at him.</p>
<p>“What was your childhood like?” she asked softly. Alucard turned his head towards her, a small half-smile tugging at the corners of his lips.</p>
<p>“It was…happy, for the most part,” he said slowly, looking sadly at Lucia. “Despite my father being who he was…who he is, as Trevor so eloquently put it.” Alucard paused, giving a wry smile. Lucia scoffed a short laugh as they walked out of the room, following after Trevor and Sypha. “My mother and father both loved me, and each other, very much. It feels strange to look back on it now. It feels like…” he trailed off</p>
<p>“Like it happened a lifetime ago, to someone else?” Lucia supplied. Alucard nodded. “I know the feeling.”</p>
<p>“I gathered,” Alucard replied. “What of you, then? You commented that I wouldn’t want you to start, but…Humor me, for a moment, if you would?”</p>
<p>“Well, you already know I was raised by my mother. My father was never around, I never knew him,” Lucia said. Alucard furrowed his eyebrows. “It’s…a long story, and I don’t think my mother ever told me all of it. But, anyway…” she trailed off for a moment as they entered another room, catching up with Trevor and Sypha. “I’m no stranger to burnt-out houses, or angry villagers with pitchforks and torches.” Lucia waved her own torch in the air slightly.</p>
<p>“Well, good to know we mostly have shitty childhoods or fatherly issues in common,” Trevor commented from where he knelt near a heap of rock and debris in the corner of the room. Lucia chuckled wryly.</p>
<p>“What a merry band of misfits we are, huh?” she added, bouncing on the balls of her feet in a sarcastically cheerful skip as she stopped in the middle of the room. Sypha scoffed a laugh and Alucard smirked.</p>
<p>“I think this is it,” Trevor said softly, standing and handing his torch to Sypha. He leaned down again, grunting as he began moving stones and debris. Lucia tilted her head to the side, catching a glimpse of a bronze-colored stone slab beneath the rocks.</p>
<p>“Your hidden entrance looks like a hearthstone,” Alucard commented.</p>
<p>“Just help me clear it,” Trevor responded.</p>
<p>Alucard glanced at Lucia, and she gestured towards his torch with her free hand, reaching to take it as he handed it off to her. Alucard hummed softly, reaching towards the rocks and rubble, moving them with ease. Debris clattered against the stone behind them where they landed. Lucia rolled her eyes, catching sight of Trevor and Sypha off to her right. Sypha slowly handed Trevor his torch back and they both watched Alucard, stunned into silence. Lucia laughed loudly, drawing their attention.</p>
<p>“Why is that funny?” Trevor grumbled. Lucia muttered an apology, biting her lower lip against a smile.</p>
<p>“Can…Can a<em>ll </em>of you do that?” Sypha asked. “All half-vampires, I mean.”</p>
<p>“All of the ones I’ve met have heightened physical abilities like this—” Lucia side-stepped a particularly large rock as Alucard cleared it from the pile. “And much more finely tuned senses.”</p>
<p>“So, you’re telling me you could have done that too?” Trevor asked, gesturing vaguely with one hand and raising an eyebrow at her.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia and Aluard said in unison. “Thank you, Lucia, for the help,” Alucard continued dryly.</p>
<p>“You didn’t ask,” Lucia replied, shrugging one shoulder. "And it seems like you had it handled regardless." Sypha snickered quietly, and Lucia smirked over her shoulder at her.</p>
<p>“In any case, congratulations,” Alucard said. “You’ve just discovered a big piece of stone.” Lucia rolled her eyes. <em>You can’t possibly be that dense, </em>she thought.</p>
<p>“It’s the door,” Trevor explained carefully, and Lucia could almost feel the tension building up inside him.</p>
<p>“Do we lift it, or…?” Sypha trailed off. Alucard moved to grip the underside of the stone, grunting softly as he attempted to lift it.</p>
<p>“That’s odd,” he commented. “I don’t seem to be able to get any purchase on it.”</p>
<p>Sypha crouched in front of the doorway. Lucia peered over her shoulder at the runes and other markings carved into the doorway. Sypha hummed softly, tracing her fingers lightly over the runes, deciphering them.</p>
<p>“Ah!” she exclaimed. “I see now. You won’t be able to lift it.”</p>
<p>“Well my family got it up somehow,” Trevor countered. “I was taken down there as a child.”</p>
<p>“Did you see them lift it?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“No. They brought me through it once it was open,” Trevor said, looking away from them. “They told me they’d teach me how to do it one day. I suppose there was a special trick.”</p>
<p>“Were your parents magicians?” Sypha asked. Lucia tilted her head slightly.</p>
<p>“Not as such,” Trevor replied. “I mean, they knew a lot, but this door was put in by one of our ancestors.”</p>
<p>“Well, I guess the special trick was passed down the generations,” Sypha commented. “The way we Speakers transmit knowledge. Your parents knew the trick, but didn’t know where it came from, or what it <em>really </em>was.”</p>
<p>“You think that door opens with magic?” Lucia asked, turning to Sypha.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Sypha said, standing up. “Stand back.” Lucia scrambled to her feet and she, Alucard, and Trevor moved back from the door, several feet behind Sypha. She traced a few of the runes again before pressing her hands together. Runes along the doorway began to glow blue, and Sypha moved to press her hands to the doorway again.</p>
<p><em>“Invocatio. Mahorela. Sor. Gru. Odo. Teloch,”</em> she murmured. As she continued, the blue light of the magic coalesced, manifesting in the shapes of feathers that drew together to a pair of wings. Sypha stood, taking a step back with her hands stretched in front of her. The blue light flared brightly for a moment before dissipating with a gust of wind. Lucia stared, wide-eyed, at the doorway, now revealing a staircase leading down into darkness.</p>
<p>“Open sesame,” Sypha said, smiling. Lucia laughed softly.</p>
<p>“Was that an Enochian ward?” Alucard asked as he approached Sypha, handing her a torch.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Sypha replied, smirking. <em>“I </em>know that language.”</p>
<p>“Well, well,” Alucard said. “Naughty Belmonts, hunting all the terrible things of the forest, but sitting on a magic door opened by occult language.” Lucia snorted a short laugh, pressing the heel of her palm to her mouth to stifle it.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know it was a fucking magic door,” Trevor replied. “Doesn’t make us black magicians.”</p>
<p>“But you know that the word ‘<em>teloch’</em> means ‘of death’, right?” Alucard asked as Trevor started down the stairs.</p>
<p>“Shut up,” he sighed.</p>
<p>“It’s the magical door of death, Belmont,” Alucard said with such a cheerful tone that Lucia let out a short, loud peal of laughter from where she stood at the top of the stairs.</p>
<p>“Are you coming or what?” Trevor asked without turning to look at any of them.</p>
<p>Sypha started down the stairs, but her foot caught on an uneven stone, tripping. Sypha yelped, and Lucia rushed down the stairs, catching her forearm to steady her. Sypha smiled gratefully, clutching Lucia’s arm as she regained her balance, and Lucia nodded. Sypha moved away from Lucia, catching up to Trevor. Lucia then turned back to Alucard, who stood at the top of the stairs, staring down as if lost in thought. Lucia ran a hand through her hair, gathering it over one shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Alucard.</p>
<p>“Something wrong?” she asked. Alucard’s eyes widened and flashed to meet hers. If Lucia did not know that his reflexes were better than that, she would have said she had startled him out of his thoughts. As it was, he simply gave a sheepish smile and walked down to meet Lucia on the landing.</p>
<p>“Nothing you need worry about, but thank you,” he replied. Lucia hummed, looking up at him curiously and considering him for a moment. <em>Why don’t I believe that for a second? </em>She wondered, but quickly decided not to press the issue.</p>
<p>“After you,” Alucard said, gesturing down towards the rest of the staircase with one arm and taking a half-step back to allow Lucia to go first. She smiled softly at him, turning back towards the stairs and making her way down.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Leave me a comment to let me know what you think?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The darkened stone staircase let out into a circular room with a wooden floor. Dark red banners emblazoned with the Belmont family crest hung from the walls, clearly old and worn. A chandelier hung from the ceiling with candles that had long dried and stuck to the metal, more red hangings laying torn and tattered from it. Old family portraits and stone busts of people Lucia guessed were old and distinguished members of the family decorated the room. Another staircase began on the side of the room closest to the entry and descended into the darkness.</p>
<p>Lucia shuddered slightly, a chill running down her back. Trevor stopped at the top of the stairs for a long moment, and Sypha, Alucard, and Lucia paused nearby. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucia saw Sypha looking around, a mixture of curiosity and deep sadness on her face. Alucard wore an unreadable expression and Lucia shifted on her feet. <em>Did mamma’s family have something like this? A library or something where they gathered knowledge of monster hunting to teach future generations…Who would look after it now? I don’t know if mamma and zia Chiara had any other siblings…</em>she wondered, following after Trevor as he started down the stairs. <em>What does it even matter? </em></p>
<p>“Belmont isn’t even a Wallachian name,” Sypha commented. “That just dawned on me.”</p>
<p>“No,” Trevor replied. “The family is originally from the Kingdom of France. But we moved out of there a few hundred years ago.”</p>
<p>“Moved, or chased?” Alucard asked. Lucia glanced sideways at him, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p><em>“Moved</em>, thank you very much.” Trevor cast a look over his shoulder at Alucard.</p>
<p>“With people behind you waving pitchforks and torches?” Alucard continued. Lucia paused for a moment, mentally shaking herself, and caught Sypha rolling her eyes at Aluacrd’s response. She shot an exasperated look at Lucia, and Lucia found herself smiling just slightly back at her.</p>
<p>“No,” Trevor drawled. “No, we’re professionals. We move where the work is.”</p>
<p>“What does that even mean?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“All the dark things moved into the east,” Trevor explained, stopping at the bottom of the stairs in front of another door. Lucia frowned, making a small sound in the back of her throat.</p>
<p>“I might not be so sure,” she commented. Trevor turned to raise an eyebrow at her. “Nowadays there are plenty of dark things lurking in western Europe too…At least, last time I was there, months ago.” Trevor nodded, murmuring softly.</p>
<p>“Well, I suppose things might have migrated again. But a few hundred years ago, they had moved east…I think it was a Leon Belmont who entered this region first.” Trevor paused, pushing the door open. As the door swung open, dust and dirt rained down inside. “He built this house, and dug the foundations for everything under it.”</p>
<p>Lucia’s eyes widened as she stepped carefully into the library. Large stone archways sheltered the hallway they entered into, and continued in columns down the length of the cavernous room. Lucia let out a shaky breath. <em>And all of this is the accumulated knowledge of anything…supernatural the Belmont family encountered. Incredible. </em>Lucia thought. <em>But where does that leave me? On one hand, mamma would have loved to see something like this, to be able to learn from this to help people…But on the other…</em>Lucia shuddered again, and it had nothing to do with the cold underground room.</p>
<p><em>What do they say about vampires? I’m sure the Belmonts have documented a hundred different ways to kill a vampire. Or a half-vampire like me, since most of the same weaknesses affect me, and humans and vampires alike seem intent on hunting us. Did the Belmonts have a name for half-vampires, or did they not care enough to call them anything more than monsters to be hunted and killed? </em>Lucia swallowed hard, grimacing and looking down. She shifted on her feet, drawing her cloak tighter around her shoulders.</p>
<p>Lucia was startled out of her thoughts by Sypha joining her hands together and sending small fireballs from her torch to light the lanterns along the walls of the library. Lucia blinked a few times as the place lit up. Rows upon rows of high bookshelves filled the room on the floor they had entered. The group slowly stepped forward to the railing at the edge of the balcony they were on, and Lucia looked around to see a lower level of the library with even more bookshelves, glass cases, and systems of bridges and ladders to access them. Off to her left along one wall, a large, reptilian-looking skeleton was reconstructed and hung from the ceiling. Lucia murmured under her breath in awe.</p>
<p>Sypha rushed forward, leaning over the balcony. Alucard looked around with wide eyes before casting his gaze down, inclining his head and placing his free hand to his chest. Lucia caught his eye when he looked up and the two looked at each other for a moment. The uneasiness Lucia felt in the entry hall intensified, and she felt the same tension from Alucard. She nodded slightly in understanding.</p>
<p>“My God,” Sypha murmured.</p>
<p>“The memory of my family,” Trevor breathed, slowly descending the stairs. “All that’s left of us.”</p>
<p>Alucard stepped forward, offering to take Sypha’s torch, then turned back to the torch stand at the top of the stairs. Lucia turned and did the same, putting down her own torch. Alucard paused at the top of the stairs, and Lucia nearly tripped to stop before running into him. Silently, he offered her his arm, tilting his head slightly. Lucia gave a weak, half-hearted smile, taking his arm as they made to follow Trevor and Sypha down the stairs.</p>
<p>“Is it organized? Is there a way to find things?” Sypha asked excitedly.</p>
<p>“I imagine one sacrifices a chicken, and divines the location of the book you want from the intestines,” Alucard commented, gesturing with his free hand. “Maybe Belmont has a crystal ball in here you could ask.” Alucard glared at Trevor as he walked past, and Lucia glanced back and forth between the two of them.</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Trevor spat.</p>
<p>“It’s an impressive tip, Belmont,” Alucard replied. “But it is, nonetheless, a tip. Your ancestors were apparently mentally ill hoarders. I fully expect to find family cats mummified under some of these shelves.” He let out a wry chuckle, casting a glance over his shoulder at Trevor. “Unless your family preferred to eat them.” Lucia set her jaw, tightening her grip on Alucard’s arm.</p>
<p>“There’s an index on the lectern at the bottom,” Trevor replied, shoving past Alucard.</p>
<p>“So, this really is a managed collection,” Sypha observed. Alucard and Lucia paused on the stairs, letting Sypha pass them to go after Trevor.</p>
<p>“That comment about eating cats is rich coming from you,” Lucia commented after a moment. Alucard rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“You realize there are more than likely preserved vampire skulls in some of these trophy cases, don’t you?” Alucard asked. “Surely you’ve realized the Belmonts have hunted and killed the likes of us for generations, and detailed here exactly how they must have done it.”</p>
<p>“<em>I know,” </em>Lucia responded, turning around fully to face Alucard. “They probably detailed everything they found out about half-vampires like us too. They probably knew we could walk in sunlight and eat garlic. And I can tell you someone knew <em>damn well</em> that blessed silver burns us just like it does fully undead vampires.” Lucia paused, one hand drifting up to her cheek. She sighed, shaking her head slightly before continuing in a softer tone. “But they knew and did all of that long before even Trevor’s grandparents were born. This…” she trailed off, gesturing vaguely around. “This wasn’t his fault.”</p>
<p>Alucard frowned slightly, but said no more on the subject. The two walked down the rest of the stairs in silence, quickly catching up to Trevor and Sypha. At the bottom of the stairs, Alucard drifted away from the direction Trevor and Sypha had taken. Lucia followed him, and both of them paused in front of a glass case. Inside were shelves with rows of skulls. Many of them were vampire skulls, with the same distinctive long fangs for canine teeth. Lucia’s eyes lingered on one in particular, a smaller skull with shorter fangs. <em>Those aren’t the teeth of someone who’s a fully undead vampire. This person wasn’t turned, they were born like that. This is the skull of a half-vampire. Someone like me, like Alucard, </em>Lucia thought. She curled her lip, feeling her stomach twist into knots. Lucia and Alucard glanced at each other for a split second before Lucia turned away, hissing slightly under her breath. Alucard set his jaw, studying the shelf.</p>
<p>“What was your Leon Belmont doing in Wallachia?” Lucia heard Sypha ask from somewhere behind her.</p>
<p>“Hunting Dracula,” Alucard replied without tearing his eyes away from the glass case.</p>
<p>Lucia felt a prickling sensation at the back of her neck, and turned her head to see over her shoulder. Behind her, Trevor and Sypha had paused, staring at the two of them. Lucia scoffed a short, mirthless laugh, and flashed a quick smile she knew would show her teeth. Trevor nodded once, turning away. Lucia locked eyes with Sypha and watched the Speaker-Magician’s eyes widen and her eyebrows scrunch together as realization and pity washed over her face in quick succession.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Lucia asked softly, once Trevor and Sypha had moved on, going down one of the rows of bookshelves. Alucard looked curiously at her for a moment.</p>
<p>“No,” he replied. “But you’re not either, are you? Is either of us really alright given the current circumstances?”</p>
<p>“No,” Lucia chuckled. “I hate being down here, it feels…wrong, in so many ways.”</p>
<p>“Generations of knowledge dedicated to eradicating vampires, coupled with the fact that we are half-vampire, but also half-human. By our very nature, we are perpetually torn in two,” Alucard commented. Lucia hummed, nodding.</p>
<p>“But…more than that…” she trailed off, biting her lip. <em>Is now really the time or the place? </em>She wondered. <em>Shit you’ve already started; you might as well. </em>Alucard tilted his head curiously at her. “My mother was the youngest daughter of a family of monster hunters originally from Florence. My father is a vampire.” Alucard’s eyebrows shot up, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Lucia continued. “Don’t ask me how that worked out. I don’t know, and I’m not sure I want to.”</p>
<p>“Well then,” Alucard said softly. “I can’t imagine—”</p>
<p>“I feel torn in half. Like both parts of me are warring with themselves,” Lucia interrupted, shaking her head. “Moreso than usual,” she added dryly.</p>
<p>“My father is Dracula, and my mother was a doctor,” he said after a moment. Lucia let out a short peal of laughter.</p>
<p>“Was it absolutely necessary to outdo me like that?” she asked, snickering. Alucard chuckled.</p>
<p>Lucia slowly made her way back towards where Trevor and Sypha had gone. She found Sypha standing at the lectern, slowly paging through the book. She tapped Sypha’s shoulder and smiled slightly, nodding towards the book. The pages she was reading from appeared to be written in the variation of romance language spoken in the Kingdom of France. Lucia frowned. <em>It seems like an older version of the language, maybe from a few hundred years ago when Leon Belmont came here. Do the records really go back that far? I can read it, but only barely, </em>she thought.  </p>
<p>“Have you found anything?” Lucia asked, glancing over Sypha’s shoulder towards the writing on the page.</p>
<p>“It’s all here. You’re right,” Sypha said, turning around towards Alucard. “It is amazing. Isn’t it? It’s amazing.”</p>
<p>“Charming,” Alucard replied sarcastically from where he still stood in front of the trophy case.</p>
<p>“You’re not even a little bit impressed?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“It’s like a museum dedicated to the extermination of my people, so no. Not thrilled,” Alucard said, finally turning away from the trophy case and walking away from it.</p>
<p>“Is that really what it feels like?” Sypha asked softly, turning to Lucia suddenly.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia whispered, holding Sypha’s wide-eyed stare. “You may have noticed that trophy case is full of vampire skulls.” She paused, inclining her head towards the case Alucard had been studying. Sypha nodded slowly, looking up at Lucia with confusion and concern. Lucia took a deep, shaky breath. “At least one of them, possibly more, has shorter fangs than your typical vampire. The kind of fangs someone who wasn’t turned, but born with them—”  </p>
<p>“Someone like you, or Alucard,” Sypha interrupted, her eyes widening in shock and horror.</p>
<p>“The Belmonts hunted and killed half-vampires as well…I…Well, I had suspected it. I should have guessed they would—” Lucia cut off, shaking her head. “But neither of us needed to see <em>this.” </em></p>
<p>Lucia grimaced, turning away from Sypha. She bit her lip against a whine when she felt the young woman’s hand on her shoulder. Lucia shrugged Sypha’s hand away, shaking her head and murmuring a half-hearted apology as she walked away.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Exciting and angsty things are happening! Leave a comment to let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“Ah!” Lucia cried out, hissing in pain. The dagger clattered to the floor and Lucia curled her hand into a fist, clutching it to her chest. Julia swore under her breath, quickly drawing her daughter aside, and dipping her injured hand into a bucket of water she had put at the edge of the room, just in case. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“What happened?” Julia asked. Lucia took a deep breath, flexing her hand in the water for a moment before removing it to show her mother. It was bright pink where Lucia had gripped the hilt of the dagger. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“It burned,” Lucia replied. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I didn’t know if it would. I wasn’t sure whether silver would affect you. I’m sorry, sunshine,” Julia said, laying a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>“Aha!” Julia exclaimed, reading the passage in the book once again, just to be sure. She grinned, swatting at her sister Chiara’s arm as she stood, holding her place in the book with one hand, and starting down the hall to the other side of the library. Chiara gave a bewildered look, ran a hand through her black, curly hair, and scrambled to her feet after her sister. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Look at this, Lucia!” Julia opened the book with a grand gesture, laying it firmly down on the desk where Lucia was sitting. Lucia jumped slightly, wide ice-blue eyes darting between her mother and her aunt. “This man, centuries ago, was like you, sunshine. He enchanted weapons so they would harm night creatures and other monsters, but they wouldn’t burn him like silver does. I think…I think we can find the spells he used to do it. If we can, we can make weapons for you.” </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>Thunder rumbled overhead as Lucia ran through the woods. She could not risk taking the road. Not at this time of night, not after what happened at the town plaza. She pushed herself faster, running at top speed until she reached her aunt’s estate. Lucia barely stopped herself before she barreled into (and likely through) the front door. Choking back another sob, she pounded on the door, praying, pleading with any god that existed or would listen to someone like her that her Tia Chiara was awake. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“What in the seven circles of Hell—Lucia? Ay, Lucia! Come inside, you’re soaking wet.” Chiara quickly pulled her inside, taking her cloak and hanging it on a hook just inside the doorway. “You can borrow some of my clothes for tonight, but why are you out so late? Where’s Julia?” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Chiara paused, turning to take a hard look at Lucia. Her hair was a mess, pulling out of a braid Lucia must have wrestled it into earlier. She was breathing heavily, and it seemed like every inch of her was shaking as she fussed with her soaking wet clothes and bag. Her eyes were unfocused and glassy, the skin under them red and puffy. One cheek bore an angry red mark, and a sinking feeling in Chiara’s gut told her Lucia had been burned. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“What happened?” Chiara asked gently. Lucia’s face twisted into something both miserable and furious. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, gesturing wildly with her hands, before letting out a loud cry, covering her face with her hands and curling in on herself. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She…She…She’s gone…The church came to the house…In the middle of the town plaza…during the festival…I-I had to…went home, packed everything…everything that wasn’t already taken…came here, didn’t…know what else to do,” Lucia said between hiccupping, heaving sobs. Chiara’s heart dropped. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Good Lord,” she murmured. Lucia let out a dry, derisive snort. Chiara stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her niece. “Come here, sunshine, come here.” </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Are…are you alright?” Sypha asked as she approached the armchair Lucia was sitting in. Lucia blinked a few times, shaking her head slightly to dislodge her thoughts before turning to Sypha.</p>
<p>“I am now, yes. Thank you,” she replied. Sypha nodded, humming softly, and stepped forward to sit on the arm of the chair.</p>
<p>“I…I wanted to apologize for earlier,” Sypha said. Lucia furrowed her eyebrows, looking up at the Speaker-Magician.</p>
<p>“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Lucia said. Sypha shook her head, ginger-red hair bouncing around her face as she did.</p>
<p>“I feel like I do. I feel terrible. I didn’t…I didn’t <em>realize </em>how difficult it must be for you or Alucard to be in a place like this. What I see as a wealth of previously lost knowledge, what Trevor sees as his last link to his family and his childhood…It’s <em>different</em> for you two. It’s a reminder of how…horrible people can be, how badly they must treat you if they find out—” Sypha cut herself off with a scoff. “And here I go explaining as if you don’t already know.”</p>
<p>Lucia nodded absently. <em>Not what I expected from her…Not what I expected from either of them, really. But—If it was going to come from either Trevor or Sypha—it was already much more likely to be her…Still…</em>Lucia thought, looking intensely at Sypha.</p>
<p>“I appreciate your concern, Sypha. Thank you,” she responded after a long moment. Sypha sighed, and it was as if the weight of the world fell from her shoulders. “I appreciate that you care. But it’s still not your fault.”</p>
<p>“I know, but still!” Sypha whined, making a face. Lucia let out a short peal of laughter. “I want us to be friends, Lucia. Friends support each other when things are difficult. So, I wanted you to know that you can talk to me. I can’t promise I’ll be able to, you know, <em>relate</em> to what you’re going through, exactly…But I can be here to listen, if you want me to…So, friends?”</p>
<p>“Friends.” Lucia smiled brightly, reaching up to place a hand on the young woman’s shoulder, squeezing it affectionately. “Thank you, Sypha.”</p>
<p>“So…” Sypha drawled playfully after a moment, leaning forward towards Lucia from her perch on the armrest. “You know my last name. We all know Trevor’s, and about half of his family history now, but you never told us if you have a last name. I think it’s your turn now.”</p>
<p>Lucia smirked at Sypha’s antics, biting the inside of her cheek. <em>Should I tell her? </em>She wondered. <em>I haven’t been using my real name since I came to Wallachia, only the one I give people when I don’t need…unwanted attention…Or when I plan on getting in trouble. And I still plan on doing both…</em></p>
<p>“Terrazas,” Lucia replied, tensing slightly to keep from making a face. The name left a bad taste in her mouth. It felt strange; it belonged to her, technically, but it was not who she was, or who she wanted to be. “Lucia Terrazas.”</p>
<p>“Terrazas,” Sypha echoed. Lucia raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly. “¿<em>Es un nombre castellano, no?” </em></p>
<p><em>“S</em><em>í</em><em>,” </em>Lucia replied.</p>
<p>“I thought you were born in Florence?” Sypha asked. “They don’t speak castellano there.</p>
<p>“I was born in a town near Florence, yes. But that doesn’t mean that’s where my father, whose name that is, is from,” Lucia answered, shifting slightly in her seat. Sypha hummed thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“Surnames are passed through the mother’s lineage in my family,” she murmured. Lucia hummed.</p>
<p>“Have you seen either of the boys?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“The boys?” Sypha repeated, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Trevor and Alucard—the boys,” she clarified, shrugging one shoulder. Sypha chuckled, shaking her head slightly. “What’s so funny?”</p>
<p>“Nothing. It’s just…calling them boys <em>does</em> seem accurate…” she trailed off, smirking conspiratorially. Lucia raised an eyebrow. “You know, since they both seem intent on acting like children.” Lucia let out a short, surprised laugh. Something about it must have been funny to Sypha, as she giggled, bringing a hand up to her mouth and hiccupping after a moment. Lucia joined in again, and the two women laughed.</p>
<p>“But no,” Sypha said. “Last I saw, Trevor found some sort of family heirloom weapon. Like a whip made of chains. It seemed important to him.” Lucia furrowed her eyebrows. <em>A whip made of chains…Heirloom of the Belmont family, </em>she thought. It sounded familiar, like something she had read in Tia Chiara’s library, or her mother had told her.</p>
<p>“The Morning Star?” she murmured as the realization dawned on her. “It’s real?”</p>
<p>“I guess so?” Sypha replied. “And I haven’t seen Alucard.” Lucia nodded.</p>
<p>After a few more minutes, Sypha hopped off the armrest and left, eager to explore the rest of the library. Lucia sat for a few minutes longer before leaving, wandering aimlessly. Occasionally she paused in an aisle, reading through a few pages of a book that had caught her eye, or looking at relics in a glass case. After a while, she heard shuffling and muttering from the other side of the bookcase she was looking at. Lucia could hear the breathing and, if she focused her senses enough, the person’s heartbeat. <em>Must be Trevor, </em>she thought. <em>Sypha doesn’t sound like that. </em></p>
<p>Curious, Lucia put back the book she had been reading and made her way around the bookcase into the next aisle. Sure enough, Trevor stood in the aisle, flipping through a book and muttering to himself. Lucia noted that a silver-colored chain whip hung at his belt—one he had not carried when they came in—and guessed it was the Morning Star Sypha had mentioned. Lucia caught a glimpse of a long shape in the corner, covered by a beige sheet, and knit her eyebrows curiously before she stepped into the aisle, rapping her knuckles on the wood of the bookcase to alert Trevor to her presence.</p>
<p>“Find anything interesting?” she asked, nodding to his book.</p>
<p>“Nothing that will help us find Dracula,” Trevor replied, setting the book back on the shelf.</p>
<p>“That’s not exactly what I asked, though, is it?” Lucia said, leaning against the bookcase and crossing her arms loosely across her chest. Trevor rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“No, I suppose not,” he replied. “It was a history of battle axe forging. I’m…not really a fan of battle axes, and I’m not sure it’s something you’d be interested in.”</p>
<p>“Stranger things have happened,” Lucia added, shrugging one shoulder. “I might not be so sure if I were you. You already know I can fight, so I must have at least a basic knowledge of and interest in weapons, even if I do prefer my sword to an axe.” Trevor let out a short chuckle.</p>
<p>“Alright, fair enough,” he muttered. Lucia smirked slightly.</p>
<p>“Sypha mentioned you stumbled upon the Morning Star whip,” she said.</p>
<p>“That I did.” Trevor grinned, reaching for his belt and unhooking the whip from it, and twisting it idly around his hands. “You want to give it a go?”</p>
<p>“I better not,” Lucia said, shaking her head. “It’s definitely consecrated, and possibly made of silver. I like my hands in one piece and not severely burned.”</p>
<p>“Right…” Trevor trailed off, shifting awkwardly on his feet. “Wait, so if silver or consecrated weapons hurt you, how do your blades kill night creatures, but they don’t burn you?”</p>
<p><em>“These</em> are enchanted,” Lucia explained, moving one hand to rest on the pommel of her sword. “My mother found some enchantments a few years ago that were meant to make a weapon able to harm night creatures, but that wouldn’t burn a half-vampire like me.”</p>
<p>“Interesting,” Trevor commented, raising an eyebrow. Lucia gave a half smile and, after a second, Trevor returned the expression. The rustling of fabric and light footsteps behind her told Lucia that Sypha had walked down this aisle as well. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucia saw Sypha walk to the shelf opposite them, picking up a book. Trevor drifted further down the aisle, closer to the covered object in the corner. Lucia picked up the book Trevor had been reading, flipping idly through it.</p>
<p>Suddenly, a crumpled piece of paper bounced off her head, and Lucia snapped out of her daze, looking around. A soft rustling sound caught her attention from above, and she glanced up to see Alucard sitting on top of the next bookcase, one leg outstretched and the other bent up to his chest, with a book laid open beside him. He smirked almost mischievously when Lucia caught his gaze and nodded, giving a small, flourishing gesture with his hand. Lucia smirked, rolling her eyes, and turning back to her book. In her peripheral vision she caught Alucard making a face at her. Lucia scoffed quietly and—after a quick glance over her shoulder to be sure Sypha or Trevor was not watching—gave a flourish in Alucard’s direction own hand that, from a certain angle, could be read as a rude gesture. Alucard pulled an indignant face, his mouth hanging open slightly, but he blushed. Lucia bit her lip, smirking, and quirked an eyebrow at him. She winked quickly and nearly laughed when his blush deepened.</p>
<p>“What the hell is this?” Trevor asked softly, as if wondering aloud. Lucia turned to see him pulling the beige sheet off the object in the corner. Underneath it was a long, upright mirror. The glass was shattered, with clear impact marks with large cracks radiating from them and smaller spidery cracks branching from those. Lucia furrowed her eyebrows. <em>Seconded. What the hell? </em>She thought.</p>
<p>“You don’t know?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Trevor replied, gesturing vaguely with one hand.</p>
<p>“This is <em>your </em>house,” Sypha commented, closing the book she had been reading and walking over to Trevor.</p>
<p>“Do <em>you</em> know everything in <em>your</em> house?” Trevor retorted, wiping dust off the mirror before turning to raise an incredulous eyebrow at Sypha.</p>
<p><em>“I</em> don’t have a house,” Sypha said.</p>
<p>“She doesn’t have a house,” Alucard added at nearly the same time. Sypha and Trevor both turned to look up to where Alucard was still sitting on top of a nearby bookcase. “She’s a Speaker; she’s a nomad.”</p>
<p>“It was rhetorical,” Trevor sighed. Lucia pursed her lips, tilting her head slightly. <em>Was it though? </em>Alucard set aside his book, picking up his sword before jumping lightly from the bookcase and landing next to Lucia.</p>
<p>“Rhetorical house that she doesn’t have,” he commented, nudging past Trevor and Sypha to look closely at the mirror.</p>
<p>“Just tell me what it is,” Trevor said.</p>
<p>“It was a magic mirror,” Sypha explained. Lucia raised her eyebrows, eyes trailing up and down the shattered glass of the mirror.</p>
<p>“Also known as distance mirrors,” Alucard said, trailing one hand along the mirror’s frame, where Lucia could see runes carved into it. “Some of them even allow matter to pass through them, but…” he trailed off, humming quietly to himself. “No. No, this is a simple remote viewing mirror. A little of the activating language is chipped. A few of the runes need re-cutting, but workable.” Lucia rolled her eyes. <em>Simple, he says, as if a magic mirror that allows you to see into different places isn’t possibly the strangest thing I’ve ever seen, </em>Lucia thought.</p>
<p>“Your family has the most fascinating family junkyard, Belmont,” Alucard commented.</p>
<p>“You’re a cock wart, Alucard,” Trevor responded, taking a step forward and pointing a finger towards him. Sypha and Lucia locked eyes for a moment, and Sypha gave an exasperated sigh before grabbing Trevor’s wrist.</p>
<p>“Stop it,” she warned, narrowing her eyes at Alucard as well as she dragged Trevor away.</p>
<p>Alucard watched them leave for a moment before his gaze landed on Lucia. She sighed slightly, giving him a meaningful look, but saying nothing. Alucard turned back to the mirror, studying it. Lucia looked curiously at the mirror for a minute, but turned her attention back to Alucard. He said nothing, and his bright golden eyes scanned the cracks of the mirror, but Lucia could feel his attention drawn towards where Trevor and Sypha had gone. She could faintly hear their conversation, enough to know that they had argued for a moment before clearly changing the subject. Lucia clearly made out the word ‘Treffy’ before the pair dissolved into loud laughter. Lucia watched Alucard raise one eyebrow, turning to look over his shoulder towards the sound.</p>
<p>“If you feel left out, I could give you a ridiculous, God-awful nickname too?” Lucia offered, smirking mischievously. Alucard whirled to look at her, his golden blond hair flying around his face. He huffed, and Lucia reached up to brush some hair from his face.</p>
<p>“Ally?” she tried. <em>“Goldilocks?” </em>Lucia snickered at the flat look Alucard gave her, twisting her fingers idly around the strands of hair she still held.</p>
<p>“No,” he replied calmly. After a moment, Lucia saw his eyes light up, and he smirked slyly. Lucia’s own smile fell, and she eyes him warily. “Has anyone ever called you <em>Luci?”</em></p>
<p>“Not if they value their life,” Lucia replied in a mock-serious tone. She held eye contact with Alucard for a long moment before dissolving into giggles. Alucard chuckled, joining in her laughter.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope everyone has a good day, and that you're all safe and healthy. Leave me a comment to let me know what you think, please!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An hour or so after Sypha had put out the majority of the lanterns in the library, Lucia wandered with a small candle, unable to sleep. <em>Centuries of knowledge and learning about the supernatural…and none of it I particularly want to read, </em>she wondered, snickering dryly to herself. Rolling her eyes internally, she turned down one aisle, and began idly flipping through the first book that caught her eye, a sort of encyclopedia of supernatural creatures.</p>
<p>Suddenly, off to her left, Lucia heard rustling clothes and light footsteps. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on edge and her ears focus on the sound. She felt Alucard’s presence before she turned to look at him, standing nearby and watching her curiously.</p>
<p>“I thought you’d be asleep by now,” Lucia said softly. “I know Trevor and Sypha are.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” he replied. “They are. However, <em>I</em> feel I’ve slept enough for a lifetime.” Lucia smirked.</p>
<p>“You might want to be careful what you wish for. Forever is a long time when you can feasibly live that long,” she commented. Alucard hummed in response. “What have you been up to?”</p>
<p>“Nothing in particular, just…looking around, I suppose,” he said.</p>
<p>“Anything interesting?” Lucia asked, an edge of sarcasm in her voice. Alucard raised an eyebrow at her. “Anything that doesn’t make your stomach turn, then?”</p>
<p>“Not much,” Alucard admitted. “And even then, not much I particularly want to read right now.”</p>
<p>Lucia nodded, humming in agreement as she turned back to the book in her hand. Glancing quickly across the page, she paused when she caught the words ‘half-human, half-vampire.’ Lucia shifted on her feet, leaning in as she turned back to the entry those words were written under. <em>Dhampir: half-human, half-vampire hybrids. Offspring of a human and a vampire…There’s a word for us? I never knew. Where did it come from? Did the Belmont family make it up, or did they learn it somewhere? Why is dhampir the name for it? </em>Lucia wondered.</p>
<p>“What is it? What did you find?” Alucard asked, moving to step closer, but pausing, as if unsure whether he should. Lucia beckoned him over with her free hand, pointing out where she had been reading when he stepped in close enough to see.</p>
<p>“There’s a word for us,” she murmured. Alucard said nothing for a moment, reading. Lucia could feel his presence next to her, feel their shoulders brushing against each other, feel him looking over her shoulder to read. He was so close Lucia could hear his heartbeat without having to tune her senses to it, and she suppressed a shiver.</p>
<p>“Dhampir,” Alucard whispered, as if testing the word in his mouth. Lucia nodded slightly. “I never knew we had a name. I never knew there were enough of us that someone would have to come up with a name for a group.”</p>
<p>“If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t know either,” Lucia added. Alucard hummed, and Lucia gently closed the book. Lucia picked up her candle again, not that she particularly needed it to see, and turned to face Alucard. “We should get some rest.”</p>
<p>“Should we?” Aluard asked as he followed her out of the aisle back into the library.</p>
<p>“Well I know you’re not fond of the idea of sleeping,” Lucia teased. “But we shouldn’t spend any more time sorting through all of this. I’ve decided I <em>don’t </em>need to know everything the Belmonts did about vampires, or <em>dhampirs</em>, or other things that lurk in the night. You shouldn’t either. I know we both hate being here, and lingering over all the gruesome details is probably not a good idea.”</p>
<p>“True. It’s not productive, I’ll grant you that…Though I’ll say that learning there’s a name for half-human half-vampires may have been worth it,” Alucard said. Lucia turned over her shoulder to smirk at him.</p>
<p>Lucia wandered the library for a while, with Alucard following a half-step behind her. She looked for the armchair she had been sitting in earlier, but impatiently gave up on finding it, settling into a corner tucked between two bookshelves instead. Alucard let out an amused huff as she abruptly tucked her legs under herself and sat down. Lucia smiled up at him, setting her candle up on the bookshelf next to her and motioning for Alucard to sit. Lucia then set aside her bag, untied her dark red cloak, and let it fall from her shoulders.</p>
<p>“Speaking of names…” Alucard began after a moment. Lucia looked up from where she was undoing the fastenings on her boots, kicking them off. “Terrazas is not your real name.” Lucia froze, fingers pausing where she had moved to loosen the ties at the front of her shirt, and her eyes widened.</p>
<p>“How did you—? Why do you know—?” she sputtered. She paused, taking a deep breath. “Alucard’s not your real name either.”</p>
<p>“No,” Alucard replied. “It is a name that was given to me by my mother’s people. The opposite of Dracula…My mother…She never liked it much, truth be told.” Lucia nodded.</p>
<p>“You’re right. Terrazas is not my real name…At least, in the sense that it was never truly given to me, and I don’t like when I have to use it,” Lucia said.</p>
<p>“Then why do you?” Alucard asked. Lucia gave a wry smile.</p>
<p>“I mentioned how my mother was the youngest daughter of a family of monster hunters, yes? Her name, her family’s name, is rather well-known in western Europe. When I was travelling here from there, for my purposes using that name would bring…unwanted attention…” Lucia trailed off. Alucard nodded solemnly. “So, while I usually use my mother’s name, and it’s the one I would be proud to introduce myself by…it’s not often safe for me to do so. Terrazas is my father’s name. I never knew him, I never cared about him until recently and…Even now, I don’t care for him in a positive way. I use his name because I don’t care enough to worry about embarrassing his reputation.”</p>
<p>“You’re angry with him,” Alucard pointed out. Lucia chuckled bitterly. “May I ask why?”</p>
<p>“You may,” Lucia replied, giving a half-smile. “His name is Fernando Terrazas. He was a regional ruler of local vampires in <em>Castilla. </em>He and some others from that region joined Dracula’s cause…last year, I believe. Just as he was beginning to release the night hordes. It was just after my mother…” Lucia trailed off, grimacing.</p>
<p>“That’s why you’re here, then? Revenge on him for your mother’s death?” Alucard asked, raising an eyebrow. “We have so much in common,” he said dryly, sarcastically. Lucia snorted a short laugh.</p>
<p>“Not quite, but you <em>are</em> close. Fernando didn’t kill my mother; he’s not even the reason she’s dead. The others he’s with are in part responsible. <em>They’re </em>why I came all the way to Wallachia,” Lucia explained.</p>
<p>“Only in part?” Alucard asked. Lucia shifted nervously, looking away. “If it’s painful for you, you do not have to tell me,” he added gently, gingerly laying a hand on her shoulder. Lucia stiffened, and almost brushed his hand away, but relaxed after a moment.</p>
<p>“There was a…” Lucia trailed off. <em>Public execution. Murder trial with no witnesses, defense, or any legal process, based entirely on lies and superstition. </em>“a <em>religious inquisition,” </em>she spat. “Someone told the local bishop my mother was practicing witchcraft and that was…Well, that was <em>that.” </em>Alucard said nothing, but Lucia could feel him tense.</p>
<p>“I am sorry,” he said softly.</p>
<p>“It was a public spectacle,” Lucia continued. “They dragged her out into the plaza during a festival. I tried to intervene, to stop them, to do s<em>omething. </em>But one of the priests brandished a silver cross in my face, and, well. I don’t have to tell you what that does…” she trailed off, bringing one hand up to her cheek, though the scar from the burn had long faded. “A few of the men restrained me while the whole thing went on. I…I ended up fighting them off, running back to our house to pack up the most important things before I fled the town…I only learned later that a group of local vampires somehow tipped off the church.”</p>
<p>“I am truly sorry, Lucia,” Alucard murmured after a moment. Lucia looked up into his face and reeled at the sheer amount of emotion she found. His jaw clenched in anger, but the expression quickly gave way to deep sadness. His golden eyes seemed bottomless as they gazed at her, a profound, desolate empathy that tugged at her soul. “We do, unfortunately, share this tragedy.”</p>
<p>“Do we?” Lucia asked shakily, feeling her own eyes water. Alucard nodded.</p>
<p>“A religious inquisition killed my mother as well. Witchcraft, they claimed,” he explained. He turned to face Lucia again, looking meaningfully at her. “My mother was a <em>doctor</em>. She healed people, helped them…She wanted to improve people’s lives.” Lucia took a deep breath, reaching to return Alucard’s gesture, laying a hand on his shoulder. He gave her a small, watery smile. “She saw good in people…There was a time where I thought she may have eventually convinced my father to see it as well.”</p>
<p>“How so?” Lucia asked, tilting her head slightly. Alucard smiled at her. Lucia returned the gesture, glad to be able to change the subject to something a bit more lighthearted.</p>
<p>“She sent my father to travel. To learn the true state of the world, the true nature of humans and how they live,” Alucard said. Lucia raised her eyebrows in surprise.</p>
<p>“She sounds like a formidable force,” Lucia said. Alucard chuckled.</p>
<p>“Oh, she was. Do you know how she met my father?” he continued.</p>
<p>“No. Not even a little,” Lucia said. “But I know you’re going to tell me.”</p>
<p>“She actually showed up at his front door. She found the castle and banged on the door with the pommel of her knife. She beat on the door until my father let her in, and then demanded he teach her how to be a doctor,” Alucard explained. Lucia let out a short, breathless laugh.</p>
<p>“She sounds extraordinary,” she commented.</p>
<p>“Oh, she was <em>remarkable</em>,” Alucard agreed. Lucia smiled.</p>
<p>“Do you…Do you think they would have gotten along?” she asked idly after a long, quiet moment. “Our mothers, that is. If they had gotten the chance to know each other?”</p>
<p>“I would like to <em>think</em> so, but all I really know of your mother is…well, <em>you</em>. I happen to enjoy your company, however. Well, so far, anyway,” Alucard teased.</p>
<p>“You flatter me. I am truly humbled by your compliments,” Lucia commented, smirking and rolling her eyes slightly.</p>
<p>“I think she would have liked you. So, I <em>do</em> think they would have liked each other. At any rate, they would be able to bond over the shared experience of having raised hybrid half-human, half-vampire, dhampir children,” Alucard said.</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t get me started on that.” Lucia snickered.</p>
<p>“If not Terrazas, what is your real name?” Alucard asked suddenly.</p>
<p>“If I tell you mine, will you tell me yours?” Lucia replied. Alucard hummed, studying her, but he shifted slightly, uncomfortably. <em>No, then, </em>Lucia thought. “I’ll tell you what. If you’re uncomfortable with it now, tell me later. Once all of this is over, we’ll tell each other.”</p>
<p>“I can accept those terms,” Alucard said. “Once this is over, if we manage it and manage to survive, I will tell you my real name, and you can tell me yours, the one your mother gave you.” </p>
<p>“Good! We have a deal!” Lucia chirped, choosing not to linger on the idea that they may not survive what was to come. “Now, I’m sure by now it’s so late at night it may be tomorrow morning. And <em>you</em> may not want to sleep, but <em>I do</em>, even if we don’t need as much of it as humans.”</p>
<p>“Sleep then,” Alucard said. “I will do my best to be quiet for you. And I promise not to let Belmont come wake you at the crack of dawn.”</p>
<p>Lucia laughed softly, nudging Alucard with her elbow. He smiled, and Lucia rolled her eyes slightly before reaching for her cloak. She folded it up and tucked it under her head as a pillow, curling up on her side. She drifted off to sleep soon after.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Are we all familiar with the concept of manic finals week energy? No? Well...I wrote this at midnight this morning after having spent all day yesterday working on an essay, and that about sums it up lmao. I hope you're all staying safe, and that you're well. Leave me a comment to let me know what you think?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia woke slowly, blinking rapidly a few times and shifting where she lay on her side. With a wide yawn, she sighed deeply upon realizing it was still dark in the Belmont hold, and there was no reason for her to be awake yet. She made to roll over and go back to sleep, but found herself held back by a weight across her torso. She startled fully awake, raising her hands out in front of her and jumping when they landed with a soft thump against Alucard’s chest. His arms, Lucia realized, were wrapped around her, holding her close to him.</p>
<p><em>What the—When did we get so close? He was still awake when I fell asleep! </em>Lucia thought, feeling her eyes go wide and her body stiffen in surprise. Taking a few deep breaths and shifting her body slightly, Lucia relaxed. <em>This from the man who said he’d had enough sleep for a lifetime. </em>Lucia rolled her eyes, but found them drawn back to Alucard’s sleeping face.</p>
<p>He was very handsome; Lucia had noted it before—how could she not? She had <em>eyes</em>, after all—but she had not had the chance to really look at him. Long, golden blond hair fell into his face as he slept, seeming almost silver as it reflected the precious little light that made it into the library. Lucia found herself tracing his face with her eyes. He had fine, chiseled features; a straight, narrow nose, and high cheekbones defined enough that Lucia wondered sarcastically if she could cut glass on them. Lucia’s eyes trailed back down Alucard’s face, landing on pale pink lips. <em>They look…so soft…What would it feel like to kiss those lips, to kiss him? What the fuck am I doing? </em>Lucia asked herself. <em>Since when do I want to kiss Alucard? I mean, since now, apparently…but still! </em> </p>
<p>Lucia caught sight of a dark jagged mark that began just under Alucard’s collarbone, running diagonally downwards until it disappeared under the neckline of his loose white shirt. <em>A scar? It looks…almost new. What happened? </em>She thought, furrowing her eyebrows. Lucia nearly reached to touch it, but abruptly remembered her hands were planted on Alucard’s chest. She froze and, at the same moment, observed that his chest was entirely lean muscle under her fingers. Shaking her head to dislodge that particular line of thought, she gingerly removed her hands, tucking them under her chin. <em>I need to go back to sleep</em>, she told herself, suppressing the urge to yawn. <em>It is too early in the morning for this bullshit. </em></p>
<hr/>
<p>Alucard woke slowly, stretching his legs out and scrunching his face upon finding strands of hair falling into his eyes and caught in his mouth. He moved to reach a hand to brush through his hair, freezing as he found one arm trapped underneath something solid and warm. His eyes snapped open and he looked down to find Lucia curled into his side, fast asleep. His heart leapt into his throat and he startled for a moment. He froze again as Lucia stirred in her sleep, noticing that at some point in the night she had not only cuddled up to him, but he had returned the gesture, and both his arms were wrapped around her waist. Alucard blushed furiously, felt his face go hot, but he did not dare to move. <em>She seems like an incredibly light sleeper, </em>he observed, exhaling to blow his hair from his face. <em>I can understand why, given how uncertain her life has been…I would hate to wake her because I was moving too much. Perhaps I’ll just…stay here for a while longer, let her rest.</em></p>
<p>Lucia murmured something soft and unintelligible in her sleep, shifting slightly to tuck her hands further under her chin, and Alucard smiled to himself. <em>Cute…Though, perhaps that’s not accurate. Endearing, certainly, but I don’t think I can call Lucia cute, </em>he mused, his eyes trailing over her features. Her eyes—clear, bright, piercing blue—were closed as she slept, though her eyelashes fluttered every so often and Alucard feared he would wake her accidentally. Black hair fell in long, glossy waves down her back, curling at the ends. Alucard recalled how the candlelight had reflected in her hair, giving it an almost red tint, and felt a sudden, intense desire to run his hands through it.</p>
<p>Alucard shook himself mentally, even as his fingers twitched slightly where they lay at her back. Under his hands at her shoulders and back, he could feel her muscles move as she shifted in her sleep, and wondered briefly if he would be able to feel such toned muscles everywhere on her. Lucia shifted in her sleep again, moving one leg haphazardly to lay across his hips as she moved to bury her face in his chest. Alucard’s breath hitched and his heart hammered in his chest so loud he feared for a brief, panicked moment that Lucia would wake at the sound. In the same moment his question was answered—yes, Lucia’s skin may be warm and soft to the touch, but she was lithe and powerful as well, though Alucard’s heart ached to think that years of fighting and running were the reason for it. <em>No, </em>he concluded. <em>I could not accurately call her cute.</em> <em>She is beautiful—stunningly so, graceful…and perhaps the most enchanting woman I’ve ever met. </em></p>
<hr/>
<p>When Lucia woke again, the candles and lanterns in the library had been lit. <em>It must truly be morning now…Or at the very least, morning enough for Sypha, </em>she thought groggily, groaning slightly. A soft chuckle sounded next to her, and Lucia felt it in her chest. Her head snapped up and she abruptly remembered waking in the night cuddled up to Alucard. She met his gaze when she looked up, smiling sheepishly and shifting away from him to sit up, feeling her face heat up as she did.</p>
<p>“I’m terribly sorry,” Alucard said, also sitting up. “I did not mean to wake you.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t, there’s nothing to apologize for.” Lucia shook her head slightly, stretching her arms overheard before reaching for her sword belt next to her. She buckled her sword belt, then her boots, and threw her cloak around her shoulders as she stood, offering her hand to Alucard. He took it with a small smile, Lucia pulled him to his feet, and the two wandered the library in search of Trevor and Sypha.</p>
<p>Breakfast consisted of strips of jerky from Trevor and Lucia’s travelling supplies. Sypha offered to magically conjure water, but the group had nothing to put it in, and so Trevor and Lucia also passed around their flasks, Lucia’s filled with water and Trevor’s with something alcoholic and bracingly strong. Lucia grinned as she caught scent of it, and tossed her head back to take a swig. She could practically feel Alucard’s slightly judgmental look, but Trevor snickered. Trevor and Alucard each wandered off after the four ate, while Sypha and Lucia stood at the lectern. Sypha read, murmuring to herself, and Lucia peered over her shoulder curiously.</p>
<p>“Aha!” Sypha exclaimed suddenly, clapping her hands together. Lucia startled, and opened her mouth to ask what Sypha had found, but the woman took off in a whirlwind of blue robes and ginger hair, grabbing Lucia’s arm and pulling her along.  </p>
<p>Sypha led Lucia up a flight of stairs into the upper level of the library, and fluttered excitedly between shelves, glass cases, and additional boxes of books. Lucia looked on, bemused, as Sypha mumbled to herself and gathered a large stack of books, grinning brightly at her.</p>
<p>“What exactly are you looking for, Sypha?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it just now!” Sypha exclaimed, waving a hand at her. “I don’t want to tell you until I know I’m right, that way we don’t get all excited for nothing—What is that?”</p>
<p>Lucia looked to where Sypha had gestured. A large box was set on top of the bookcase they stood in front of. Sypha stared up at the bookcase with narrowed eyes, glancing thoughtfully between the box and the tower of books in her arms. With a short, decisive hum, Sypha set her stack down and reached up for the bookcase. Lucia tried, and failed, to stifle her laughter as Sypha stood on her toes, stretching to her full height to reach, then tried to jump up to grab the box. Sypha pinned Lucia with an annoyed look, crossing her arms.</p>
<p>“Why don’t <em>you</em> get the box then, if you think it’s so funny?” Sypha asked, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.</p>
<p>Lucia hummed thoughtfully in mock-consideration, glancing up at the box on top of the shelf before smirking and letting her eyes slide back to Sypha. In an arguably unwarranted use of her supernatural speed, Lucia planted her foot on a lower shelf, pulled herself up to reach the top, tucked the box under her arm, and hopped back down to the floor in the space of a few seconds. The short gust of wind generated by her speed ruffled Sypha’s hair around her slightly stunned expression.</p>
<p>“So,” Lucia drawled, sitting down and setting the box next to her. “What do we have here?”</p>
<p>Lucia picked a book from the box at random, flipping through a few pages. It was a book of spells, which were written in either Latin or Enochian—Lucia did not speak Enochian, and her Latin was rudimentary at best. The instructions and other writing, however, was Wallachian, though she skimmed over the words, having no knowledge of the magic they described. Lucia, however, was soon utterly distracted by the accompanying illustrations of—she snapped the book shut and sat for a moment, staring at the bookshelf in front of her. She felt her face burning, and stifled an embarrassed laugh. After a thoughtful moment, she opened the book again, flipping through the illustrations to be certain it was what she thought. It was—the entire book was full of spells about penises, with rather detailed illustrations. Lucia closed the book, and it lay abandoned in her lap as she pressed her face into her hands and laughed.</p>
<p><em>“What</em> is so funny?” Sypha asked, sitting down next to Lucia and leaning in close. Lucia took a deep, shuddering breath before looking up to Sypha. At the sight of her curious expression, Lucia burst into laughter again, shaking her head and gesturing wildly towards the box of books with one hand.</p>
<p>Sypha rolled her eyes, snatching the book from Lucia’s lap and flipping it open. Lucia watched expectantly, giggling, as Sypha read. After a moment, the woman’s face flushed bright pink and Sypha looked up at Lucia. The two held eye contact for half a second before they both dissolved into helpless laughter.</p>
<p>“Are—Are they <em>all</em> like this?” Sypha gasped between peals of laughter. Lucia shook her head, brushing her hair from her face with one hand.</p>
<p>“There’s only one way to find out,” she replied. Sypha lunged forward and grabbed a few more books from the box, passing a few to Lucia. She flipped rapidly through the books, discovering more illustrations int heir pages, and she and Sypha quickly searched the whole box.</p>
<p>“I cannot believe this,” Lucia muttered, shaking her head and fighting another bout of laughter. “The whole box…”</p>
<p>“An <em>entire box </em>of spells about penises,” Sypha added. The two women locked eyes with one another, exchanging a confused, if extremely entertained, look. “I have questions about Trevor’s ancestors.” Lucia laughed loudly in response, and Sypha joined in after a moment.</p>
<p>After several minutes—and a few more bouts of laughter when one of the women managed to calm down, make eye contact with the other, and burst into laughter again—Lucia and Sypha stood and continued their work. Lucia put the books of penis spells back in the box and returned it to the shelf, then helped Sypha sort through the books she had pulled out earlier. Sypha picked up one of them, flipping it open and reading as she scanned the shelves for another book referenced in the one she was looking at.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Lucia! Come look at this!” Sypha called excitedly, balancing the open book in her hand as she pulled another off the shelf she stood in front of. Lucia whirled her head to face Sypha.</p>
<p>“What’s <em>this?”</em> she asked, knitting her eyebrows. Sypha grinned, gesturing to the pile of book she now had pulled down from the shelf and stacked on the floor. Lucia noted that they were bound in the same type of leather and marked similarly. <em>A collection? </em>She wondered.</p>
<p>“The Belmonts had not just one book about Dracula’s castle, but multiple volumes in a series!” Sypha exclaimed. “They clearly had a lot of information about it. Maybe they knew how it moved, or how to <em>find</em> it when it did. Or better yet—how to trap it somewhere!”</p>
<p>“Sypha, that’s brilliant!” Lucia laughed breathlessly, and Sypha quickly shoved one of the books at her, encouraging her to read. Lucia caught the book in her arms and scanned the pages, frowning slightly. It was French, but a dialect Lucia was unfamiliar with. She could make out a few words, recognized places and names, but not enough to make sense of the passage. Her frown deepened, even as she read the date and realized it was a few centuries old. Lucia looked up, pulling a face as she met Sypha’s bright, excited expression. “Sypha these are just words to me.”</p>
<p>“I thought you spoke French?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“I <em>do!</em>” Lucia replied. “But this French is <em>three hundred years old. </em>It makes no fucking sense to me.”</p>
<p>“I could argue that French as a language makes no fucking sense.” Alucard’s voice sounded from behind her, and when Lucia spun on her heel to look at him, he was smirking slightly. Sypha scoffed a short laugh, rolling her eyes, and Lucia snickered.</p>
<p>“And what have you found?” Lucia asked, looking pointedly at the books Alucard carried with him.</p>
<p>“A few books possibly related to those Sypha just found about the workings of the castle, as well as one about the magic required to operate a distance mirror,” he replied. Lucia nodded, humming thoughtfully. “Have you found anything interesting—” he cut off when Lucia snorted a quiet laugh. “Anything that doesn’t make your stomach churn, then?”</p>
<p>“Don’t you parrot my own words back to me like you think I don’t know what you’re doing!” Lucia replied in a mock-serious tone, but unable to keep from smirking wryly at Alucard.  </p>
<p>The three worked in silence for a few minutes, reading and searching the bookshelves for more information. Lucia frowned, flipping through several books that were utterly unreadable to her. <em>Greek, which I can’t speak or read…Latin, and my Latin is laughably bad…I don’t even know what language any of these three are in, but I think they’re each a different one…</em>Lucia pulled a face, shutting the book in her hands with a bit more force than was strictly necessary and exhaling sharply as she replaced it on the shelf, feeling her heart catch in her throat and tears of frustration begin to well in her eyes. <em>I told them I would be able to help, but here I am with a library full of books in dead languages I cannot read. How can I be helpful like this? What am I doing here? </em></p>
<p>“You know, for coming from an oral, memory-based culture, you’re very good with books.” Alucard’s voice startled Lucia from her thoughts, and she turned to see him standing next to Sypha.</p>
<p>“It would have been a poor education if we hadn’t been taught to read things to add to our memory stores,” Sypha replied, gesturing with one hand. She paused for a moment, closing the book in her hands. “But I am coming to the conclusion that my people are <em>idiots</em>, and we <em>should </em>have written everything down.”</p>
<p>“Everything?” Alucard echoed.</p>
<p>“Yes. All the things,” Sypha reiterated, emphatically placing a fist into her open hand. Lucia raised an eyebrow at Sypha and gave her a knowing look. Sypha curled her lip and made a face at her before turning serious again, gesturing broadly with one hand. “Look at this! There’s more in this room than a million Speakers could carry across two generations. This is insane! And the sheer breadth of information about the castle is staggering.”</p>
<p>“Hmm…but how much of it is useful?” Alucard asked. Sypha cast a sidelong glance at Lucia, smirking. <em>I’m sure the box of penis spells was useful for someone, Sypha, </em>she thought, snickering as she sidled up on Sypha’s other side.</p>
<p>“Well,” she drawled. “I <em>do</em> have questions about Trevor’s ancestors. Lucia and I discovered an entire box of spells about…penises.” Sypha whispered the last word as if it were a secret, bringing her hand up to shield her mouth on the side. Lucia giggled at her antics, as well as at the mildly shocked and vaguely horrified expression that crossed Alucard’s face for a split second before he smirked mischievously, golden eyes flicking between her and Sypha.</p>
<p>“You’re certain it was one of his ancestors?” he asked. “You didn’t find it under his childhood bed?” Lucia snickered.</p>
<p>“No. If it were under the bed, Sypha would have been able to reach it—” Lucia was cut off as Sypha made an indignant sound, and Lucia giggled. “As it stands, she stood up on her toes and all but climbed the bookcase to reach the mysterious box, but ultimately had to make me get it for her.” Sypha swatted Lucia on the shoulder, glaring half-heartedly, and Alucard smirked, laughing softly.</p>
<p>“Stop testing him, Alucard,” Sypha said after a long moment.</p>
<p>“I am concerned I have thrown my lot in with a demented infant,” Alucard replied. Lucia rolled her eyes and gave him a short glare.</p>
<p>“I imagine he has similar concerns about you,” Sypha said. Lucia pressed her lips together, holding back a laugh at the indignant look Alucard gave her.</p>
<p>“I am also concerned that you enjoy him too much,” Alucard said, turning to look back at Sypha over his shoulder. Lucia’s eyes widened.</p>
<p>“And <em>what</em> is that supposed to mean?” Sypha asked. <em>It means I’m leaving. That is my cue. I am not getting involved in…whatever this is about to be, </em>Lucia thought frantically, taking a few steps backwards towards the end of the bookcase as Alucard turned to face Sypha, continuing to argue. Lucia turned down the aisle and walked quickly away, willing herself to tune out the argument.</p>
<p>Lucia found herself on the lower floor of the library, wandering between bookshelves. The sharp ring of metal soon reached her ears, along with the telltale sounds of Trevor’s heartbeat and movement. She rounded a corner to find him sitting on the floor in front of a bookcase, his back facing the large open space in the middle of the room. A chest sat open in front of him, and he held a sword in his hands, slowly drawing it from its sheath.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know there was an armory down here,” Lucia commented as she approached. Trevor smiled.</p>
<p>“There is, but this actually isn’t it. The armory’s a bit farther down…that way.” Trevor gestured deeper down the hall, past the rows of shelves underneath the balcony of the upper level. “It’s a <em>hold</em>, not just a library. It was built to last through a siege, if the need ever arose.” Trevor trailed off, looking bitterly thoughtful for a moment. Lucia nodded, looking down.</p>
<p>“Anyway,” he said after a long moment. “There are some interesting and probably legendary weapons down here, but I want to know more about your sword and daggers. You mentioned yesterday that they’re enchanted?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia said, smiling. “But if you asked me what sort of enchantments were used on them, I could not tell you.”</p>
<p>“Where did you get them, anyway?” Trevor asked. Lucia hesitated for a moment, before moving to sit next to Trevor on the floor.</p>
<p>“My mother and my aunt had them made for me,” she said softly, pulling one of her daggers from its sheath and twirled it idly in her hands and running her thumb over the cross-guard. The grip was made of dark wood, wrapped tightly in leather so her hands would not slip on it—her sword’s grip was the same.</p>
<p>“That’s a family crest then?” Trevor asked, reaching out to stop Lucia twirling the dagger in her hands and gesturing to the dagger’s sheath where it lay on the floor in front of Lucia. The leather of the sheath itself had been dyed a dark red, and the crest Trevor pointed to was inlaid on it with a metal that was silver in color, but not silver so as not to burn Lucia’s hands.</p>
<p>“Yes, it is!” Lucia chirped, smiling.</p>
<p>“Are you going to tell me <em>which</em> family’s crest? Because I sure as hell do not remember off hand,” Trevor said.</p>
<p>“Hmmmm,” Lucia hummed thoughtfully, looking up and playfully tapping her chin with one long finger before trailing her eyes back to Trevor. “No.” Trevor made a face and grumbled at her.</p>
<p>“I know there are family records and trees down here for other families like the Belmonts,” he countered. “I studied them as a young boy so I wouldn’t accidentally offend if I ran across someone from another prominent monster-hunting family. I <em>could </em>find out on my own.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you could,” Lucia agreed. She furrowed her eyebrows after a second, turning her head sharply to look at Trevor. “How up to date do you think those records are?”</p>
<p>“They were up to date the last time I was down here,” he said. “That was…I was twelve or thirteen.”</p>
<p>“And how long ago was that?” Lucia asked slowly. <em>He could find the family records. He would see mamma and Tia Chiara’s names there, and any siblings they had that I never met…I’ve never seen a family tree of them…</em>she thought.</p>
<p>“About thirteen years ago. So, if any of your cousins have had kids in that time, they’re probably not on the family tree,” Trevor said, snickering slightly. “You can fill that information in as you like, I don’t mind.” Lucia let out a short, bitter laugh.</p>
<p>“I appreciate the offer,” she replied. “But I wouldn’t even know where to start. I don’t know if any of my cousins have children of their own now. I…don’t even know how many cousins I have, how many aunts or uncles, or…” Lucia trailed off, swallowing hard against the lump that suddenly formed in her throat.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Trevor said awkwardly, gingerly laying a heavy hand on her shoulder. Lucia tensed slightly, but smiled sadly over at him. “So! Tell me more about this then. It’s silver, is it not, but it doesn’t burn?” He tapped the family crest on her dagger’s sheath again. Lucia shook her head, dragging her fingers along the identical crest on the sheath of her sword.</p>
<p>“It is not silver, because silver does burn me,” she corrected. Trevor nodded.</p>
<p>“And consecrated weapons do too? That’s why you won’t touch the Morning Star with a ten-foot stick?” he continued. Lucia snickered.</p>
<p>“Actually…Consecrated weapons do <em>not</em> burn, or do anything really.” Lucia shrugged. “Though, if there’s any consecrated weapon on the face of the earth that would hurt me, it would be the legendary Morning Star whip.” Trevor made a face, furrowing his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“How does that work?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I am still half-human,” Lucia reminded him. “I suppose the exact reasons for how and why things that harm vampires work—or don’t—with me has never been an all-or-nothing scenario. And there’s a good possibility it varies for individuals.”</p>
<p>“Interesting,” Trevor murmured.</p>
<p>“Wait.” Lucia furrowed her eyebrows, murmuring to herself. <em>Thirteen years ago was when the Belmont estate was burned down…</em>she thought. <em>Let’s say for argument’s sake Trevor was thirteen when that happened…</em> “You’re twenty-six? Or twenty-five, if you were twelve when the house was burned, and depending on when your birthday is?”</p>
<p>“Yes…Why?” Trevor asked slowly, raising an eyebrow at her. Lucia curled her lip, making a face.</p>
<p>“You’re older than me, and I do <em>not</em> know what to do with that information,” she stated. Trevor threw his head back and laughed.</p>
<p>“Oh my god.” He gasped for air between bouts of laughter. “How old are you then, you absolute child?”</p>
<p>“I’m twenty-one!” Lucia exclaimed, slightly indignant.</p>
<p>“A child,” Trevor insisted. “A fucking infant. Who let you out unsupervised?”</p>
<p>“Oh, fuck off!” Lucia laughed, shoving at his shoulder.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Trevor! Lucia!” Sypha called. Lucia’s ears pricked up at the sound, and she turned from the book she had been reading to see Sypha, on the upper floor, running towards the edge of the balcony. She nearly barreled into the railing, leaning slightly over the edge to look at them where Lucia sat on the floor and Trevor stood nearby with a box open, three daggers placed carefully inside.</p>
<p>“What?” Trevor asked.</p>
<p>“I have something!” Sypha exclaimed.</p>
<p>“Uh, when I say <em>what</em> that doesn’t mean <em>I would like to ask even more questions,”</em> Trevor responded. Lucia rolled her eyes, setting her book aside and standing up, walking up next to Trevor, who jumped just slightly.</p>
<p>“Would you please—” Sypha cut off, shaking her head. “Oh, you are the most <em>annoying</em>…Just stop!”</p>
<p>“What did you find?” Lucia asked, turning to head up the stairs to the upper level to meet Sypha. She heard Trevor grumble somewhere behind her as she raced up the stairs.</p>
<p>“I think I’ve found a locking spell,” Sypha said. Lucia hopped up the last steps and hurried over<em>. </em>“Listen. The Belmont family have an entire literature here about the castle.”</p>
<p>“The books you found earlier?” Lucia asked. Sypha nodded enthusiastically.</p>
<p>“Yes! Those, the ones Alucard found, an entire literature! Weren’t you listening?” she teased. Lucia made a face at her, gesturing for her to continue. “They tried for centuries to eliminate the castle’s main advantage—it transports itself through magical means.”</p>
<p>“Right. So you can’t attack it if it just jumps somewhere else,” Trevor said from the stairs as he made his way up.</p>
<p>Lucia caught sight of Alucard out of the corner of her eye, standing on a small landing built onto a tall bookshelf next to where she and Sypha stood. He paused, leaning his hands on the railing and looking curiously at Sypha and Lucia. Lucia smiled when he caught her gaze, feeling her face heat up with a blush and cursing internally when she did. <em>Focus! </em>She told herself, shaking her head slightly and looking away. She could still feel Alucard’s eyes on her, and she bit her bottom lip.</p>
<p>“Yes!” Sypha agreed. “So, some clever Belmont eventually formulated most of a locking spell—a method to catch the castle and lock it down to a single location so it can be invaded.”</p>
<p>“Most of it?” Alucard asked.</p>
<p>“I can finish the final clauses myself,” Sypha replied.</p>
<p>“Sypha, you’re brilliant,” Lucia laughed breathlessly, eyes widening. Sypha smiled brightly at her.</p>
<p>“It’s all based on Adamical structures,” she explained, pointing to a passage in the book. Lucia furrowed her eyebrows, scanning the writing, but unable to decipher the characters, let alone the language they belonged to.</p>
<p>“You keep saying that word,” Alucard commented, climbing down from the landing on the bookshelf and walking over to Sypha and Lucia. Trevor approached at the same time, standing in front of Sypha.</p>
<p>“Adamic is the original human language. The one spoken by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The one that was split into all other languages at the Tower of Babel by God, to prevent human cooperation,” Sypha said, gesturing with her free hand and locking eyes with Trevor when he turned to look at her. Lucia blinked slowly, looking down. <em>I’ve never heard that particular aspect of the story…</em>she thought.</p>
<p>“Is that how you understand that story?” Alucard asked slowly as he approached them.</p>
<p>“Oh yes!” Sypha chirped. “The Speakers are the enemy of God. We live in cooperation and hide our stories inside ourselves so he cannot strike them down in jealousy.” Lucia raised an eyebrow at her curiously.</p>
<p>Suddenly there was a loud thudding sound above them, on the surface. The very foundations of the hold shook, and the floorboards creaked under their feet. Lucia hissed under her breath, looking upwards as dirt and light debris rained down from the ceiling. <em>What the fuck was that? </em>She wondered. <em>Have we been found? By night creatures? By any other forces Dracula has at his command? </em>The rumbling passed and for a moment it was deafeningly silent.</p>
<p>“See? God hates me!” Sypha exclaimed, breaking the suffocating quiet.</p>
<p>Lucia could not help but let out a peal of laughter, though as her heart raced in her chest, it was laced with panic. The rumbling continued, and bookshelves shook this time as well. Glass windows in cases shook and shattered loudly, crashing to the floor. Lucia swore quietly. Alucard hissed beside her, and she saw Trevor reach for the whip at his side. Lucia made to grab her weapons as well, curling her lip back in a hiss. The large reptilian skeleton that hung from chains attached to the ceiling swayed perilously as the ground continued to rumble.</p>
<p>“That’s probably not God,” Alucard commented as unearthly growls and hissing sounded from above them. Lucia scoffed, resisting the urge to snarl back at what were most likely demons. She shifted her weight, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet as dust and dirt continued to rain down, and she strained even her enhanced hearing to hear the footsteps of the demons above them. <em>I can’t make out how many there are…But something up there is treading very heavily, </em>she thought.</p>
<p>The four of them quickly rushed downstairs, gathering at the lectern. Sypha had stacked a pile of books on the floor nearby and was quickly paging through them. Lucia reached into her bag, drawing a short cord. She held it in her mouth for a moment as she raked her hands through her hair, quickly and neatly tying it into a braid. Alucard disappeared in a flash of red, returning soon, much more slowly, moving the distance mirror towards the lectern. Lucia rushed over, taking hold of the other side of the mirror to help.</p>
<p>“Can we get that magic mirror working?” Trevor asked urgently, turning to Sypha.</p>
<p>“I think so,” she replied. “But I can’t do two things at once here.”</p>
<p>“I know some Chaldaic,” Alucard said sharply as he and Lucia settled the distance mirror down. “I know how to operate a distance mirror. Which shall I do?” he asked, turning to Sypha. Sypha, in turn, looked between Lucia and Trevor.</p>
<p>“Uh…I can’t do either of those things,” Trevor said.</p>
<p>“Me neither,” Lucia added, rolling her eyes. “But we need a plan, and <em>quickly.” </em>The entire hold shook violently again as if to accentuate her words.</p>
<p>“Come on, Belmont,” Alucard snapped, striding forward to stand in front of Trevor. “Time to choose. You’re either the last son of a warrior dynasty or a lucky drunk. Which is it?”</p>
<p>Trevor was silent for a moment. He looked up as the rumbling continued. Lucia curled her lip as larger pieces of debris began to fall from the ceiling. <em>If no one makes a decision in the next five seconds, I am going upstairs and killing them myself, </em>Lucia thought impatiently, bouncing on the balls of her feet again.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Trevor muttered. He turned back to the group suddenly, his blue eyes blazing with determination and anger. Lucia smirked viciously. “Get the mirror working, Alucard. Give me force numbers, species, and weapons count. Sypha stays on her job for now. I’ll fortify the point of entry.”</p>
<p>Sypha nodded, turning back to her books. Alucard turned away from Trevor, loosening the fingers of his gloves and pulling them off with his teeth. Lucia made a small noise in the back of her throat, but rolled her eyes and shook her head at Alucard when he raised an eyebrow at her. He then turned to the distance mirror, the nails of his index finger elongated suddenly, and he began to carve runes into the frame.</p>
<p>“I think we’re going to see the size and disposition of the attacking force fairly quickly with our own eyes, <em>Belmont,”</em> Alucard said as a particularly powerful crash sounded from upstairs, sending a tremor through the library.</p>
<p>“I’m forced to agree,” Trevor stated, picking up a large broadsword with red gems encrusted in the hilt and crossguard and tucking it into his belt. “Do you have a further suggestion?”</p>
<p>“Are you asking my advice?” Alucard asked.</p>
<p>“We’re working together, Alucard,” Trevor said slowly, holding back his anger. He walked over to where Alucard stood in front of the distance mirror. “You’re still a bastard, but you’re the bastard I chose to fight alongside back in Gresit. Do you have a problem with any of that?”</p>
<p>Alucard said nothing for a long moment, staring sternly at Trevor. Lucia glanced between the two, fully prepared to stop them if they chose <em>now</em> of all times to fight physically. Alucard’s expression softened suddenly, and he gave a small smile.</p>
<p>“None at all,” he said. Lucia sighed deeply.</p>
<p>“So, what do you suggest?” Trevor asked.</p>
<p>“Using this to find Dracula’s castle. Now,” Alucard replied after a moment. Lucia raised her eyebrows, blanching. “We’re trapped in a box down here. We will eventually be overwhelmed, unless we change the nature of the battle.”</p>
<p>“Agreed,” Trevor said, reaching one hand for the Morning Star whip where it hung on his belt. “Sypha!”</p>
<p>“I’m close to getting it!” Sypha called from a nearby bookcase.</p>
<p>“I’ll protect you for as long as I can,” Trevor responded.</p>
<p>“I know,” Sypha said.</p>
<p>“Lucia. You’ve clearly fought demons before; you come with me,” Trevor said. Lucia smirked again, loosening her sword in its sheath and chuckling darkly. Trevor returned the expression, turning away and taking off for the stairs.</p>
<p>Lucia was about to follow when Alucard caught her arm. She whirled to face him, her long braid whipping over her shoulder as she did. He looked concerned, and opened and closed his mouth for a moment. Lucia knit her eyebrows, looking up at him with an expression part concerned and part curious.</p>
<p>“You’re really going upstairs to fight them?” he asked quietly. Lucia sighed.</p>
<p>“What else am I going to do?” she snapped. “I <em>don’t </em>know how to operate a distance mirror; I <em>don’t</em> know any kind of magic, least of all the kind we need to lock the castle here; and I don’t even speak half the languages these books are written in! What else am I supposed to <em>do</em>, Alucard?” she challenged, gesturing broadly at the bookshelves around them with her free hand. “I can fight; let me do that much.”   </p>
<p>“Be careful, please,” Alucard murmured.  The look on his face was heart-wrenching. He looked hopelessly sad, and very worried. Lucia scrunched her face as she felt her chest tighten. She sighed softly, laying her hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I always am,” Lucia said seriously. She smirked mischievously, an idea crossing her mind almost before she could process it. She stepped in close to Alucard, pulling herself up onto her toes, and pressed a kiss to his cheek, lingering for just a moment before she pulled back. “I always am.”</p>
<p>Lucia gave a half smile, taking a step backwards. Alucard looked stunned, his hand falling to his side. He was blushing too, faintly. Lucia fought back a smirk as she noticed it. She nodded to herself sharply, smiling brightly at him. As she turned and raced up the stairs, quickly catching up to and passing Trevor, she heard Sypha’s clear, bubbly laughter, and Alucard asking her to <em>please </em>focus on the task at hand.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Trevor made it to the top of the stairs, the entrance to the hold, Lucia stood waiting for him, pacing back and forth across the doorway and muttering under her breath in a language Trevor did not speak. He glanced quickly between her, and the hallway on either side of them before running down one way, hoping she would follow. She did, and when Trevor pulled a loose shelf from a bookcase and shoved it at her to block to doorway with, she raised an incredulous eyebrow at him.</p>
<p>“What?” he asked.</p>
<p>“This is going to fortify the doorway against a small army of demons?” she replied, almost laughing. Trevor sighed deeply.</p>
<p>“Fuck it, let’s just go all the way up then and see what we can do with anything up there,” Trevor said.</p>
<p>Lucia nodded, and the two ran out the door of the library into the stone entry hall. Lucia slammed the door shut behind them, racing up the stairs. Trevor swore, between panting gasps for breath, as she passed him on the stairs in a short gust of wind.</p>
<p>“Fucking vampire speed,” he muttered.</p>
<p>“I heard that!” Lucia called from farther up the stairs.</p>
<p>“Fuck you,” Trevor responded.</p>
<p>“Heard that too!” Lucia laughed, and Trevor rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>Any further banter was cut off as the ground shook beneath them again. Trevor looked up, watching an enormous demon with hooves, horns, and fangs about as long as his arms crash through the entrance of the hold and the upper stairways. Lucia landed on the ground next to him with a thump that made Trevor wince, but quickly rolled to her feet.</p>
<p>“Oh, for God’s sake,” Trevor sighed.</p>
<p>He leapt to the side as the creature fell through the staircase he was standing on, quickly drawing the Morning Star whip and throwing it to lasso around a support beam above him, dangling from the chain as the demon continued to fall. In a flash of red, Lucia had disappeared from his view and pulled herself onto the remains of a platform on the staircase. They locked eyes for a split second before Trevor drew his sword. Lucia did the same, hissing and baring her fangs before disappearing again.</p>
<p>Trevor leapt as the whip unwound from the support beam, landing a glancing blow to the demon as he landed on its head, wrapping the whip around one of its horns. The demon roared at him, trying to throw him, and ducked its head to focus on something on the ground. Trevor looked down to see Lucia, darting around in flashes of red, slashing at its legs with her sword. Trevor winced and grinned viciously as she slashed horizontally across its thigh, the wound bleeding profusely. He yelled wordlessly to get her attention.</p>
<p>“Get its head up!” He yelled, drawing his sword. “I’ve got an idea.”</p>
<p>Lucia’s eyes widened, and she must have followed his line of thought. She nodded and sped off again in a flash of red. Trevor could not see her and focused on trying to loop his sword under the demon’s neck to slice across its throat as it thrashed and tried to throw him. Its head tilted back suddenly and Trevor spared a glance up to see Lucia arc through the air above him, landing behind him on the demon’s back with inhuman grace. The demon tossed its head in an attempt to throw them again, and Trevor was able to loop his sword under its chin and saw across its throat.</p>
<p>The demon roared loudly and began thrashing in earnest. Behind him, Trevor heard Lucia curse and wrap one arm around him to keep herself steady. Trevor tightened his hold on the demon, doing the same. The demon backed up, slamming them into the staircase. Trevor felt Lucia unwrap her arm, and registered her falling for a brief moment before the demon flung him across the space and into the opposite wall. The demon raised its fists to crush him, and he dove across the walkway, rolling to his feet on the other side, and throwing his dagger at the demon’s neck in an attempt to dislodge his sword.</p>
<p>With a growl, Lucia rose from where she had landed on the staircase, jumping from it at the demon’s head. Trevor yelled, but his words died on his lips as she grabbed hold of its horn and swung herself up into its shoulders again, drawing her sword. Before she could do anything else, the walkway crumbled beneath them. Trevor had maybe half a second to wonder how Lucia had not fallen off the demon’s shoulders when they landed before he scrambled to dive under its arm and catch his sword as it fell. He slashed across the back of its knee, the opposite leg Lucia had injured, and the creature stumbled to its knees, roaring once more and rounding on him.</p>
<p>As he turned to face the demon, Trevor saw Lucia steady herself on its shoulders and thrust her sword into its head, between its horns. The demon wailed loudly and pitched forward. Trevor’s eyes widened as he swore and backed up, out of the way. Lucia pitched forward as the demon fell, wrenching her sword free and rolling as she hit the ground, coming up to kneel beside Trevor, her sword down at her side. Its blood soaked the floor around them and Lucia made a face as she stood.</p>
<p>Neither of them had time to comment or catch their breath before another demon dropped from the ruins of the staircase above them. It was significantly smaller, roughly the size of a person, but with long horns, bandages covering its eyes, and a spear. It snarled loudly as it landed, and kicked Trevor square in the chest, sending him backwards. As he stumbled to his feet, he watched Lucia trade blows with the demon, hissing at it as they came to a stalemate.</p>
<p>“Really? What is that going to do?” Trevor asked.</p>
<p>Lucia spared a glance back at him, and her eyes began to glow red. Trevor quirked an eyebrow, but Lucia turned back to the demon with a deep, snarling hiss that had clearly come up from her chest. The demon paused, and Lucia took the opportunity to disengage her weapon before lunging forward to stab the demon in the chest.</p>
<p>“You’ve got to be fucking joking,” Trevor muttered.</p>
<p>Lucia gave a short laugh, but it was cut off with an exasperated growl as more demons descended into the hold. Two were huge creatures with bat-like wings on their front legs and black fur, and the last another roughly humanoid one with feathered wings and bone mask made to look like a bird’s face and beak. One of the bat-winged creatures focused on Trevor, growling, and its throat glowed red.</p>
<p>“Firedrake,” Trevor said, picking up the spear of the demon Lucia had just killed. “Just what we need in an underground hold full of paper.”</p>
<p>Lucia snorted a laugh, but Trevor coiled the Morning Star whip, throwing it upwards at the firedrake. The creature bit the mace head of the whip, and exploded into flames a second later. Trevor and Lucia were launched backwards by the blast, tumbling through the door into the library.</p>
<p>“Probably just as well I didn’t get to play with the whip when I was a kid,” Trevor commented, taking the hand Lucia offered him to get up.</p>
<p>Lucia smirked wryly, cast a quick look around, and cursed colorfully when her sword was nowhere to be found. Trevor nearly laughed, but he heard a clattering of metal on stone and swore just as vehemently as he watched the Morning Star whip fall down the staircase. Trevor and Lucia locked eyes for a moment, pulling a face at each other.  Trevor crouched suddenly, picking up the spear from the bandaged demon. Half of it had been broken off in the explosion, but Trevor shrugged and spun it in his hands for a moment.</p>
<p>“Trevor!” Lucia yelled, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him backwards as the winged, bird-masked demon flew through the doorway.</p>
<p>Trevor turned, throwing several knives at it. The demon dodged all of the knives. Lucia frowned, and drew both of her knives from her belt, holding one underhanded against her forearm, and aiming one at the demon. She threw the dagger, and while it missed the demon’s body, it tore through some feathers on one of its wings.</p>
<p>The demon, however, seemed unbothered, and tackled Trevor as it flew. Trevor grabbed onto its ankle, managing to drop himself onto a walkway. The demon landed across from Trevor on the walkway, wobbling unsteadily. Trevor grinned, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lucia rush to the railing of the staircase the was on. He launched an attack on the demon, driving it backwards with the broken spear he had taken from the other demon. Glancing behind the demon, he saw Lucia appear at the end of the walkway in a flash of red, one of her daggers still drawn. The demon must have sensed it too, as it planted its feet, and opened its wings with enough force for the wind to knock Trevor backwards off the walkway.</p>
<p>He landed on another, lower causeway, and looked up to see that Lucia had rushed the winged demon. She slashed at it with her dagger, but the demon’s speed nearly matched her own, and it dodged most of her attacks. She ducked its wings as it opened them wide, springing up close to the demon and moving to slash once again with her dagger. The demon caught her wrist, fanning her arm away and sending her knife flying. It landed on the walkway Trevor had, albeit several feet away. Lucia snarled at the demon and lunged for its throat with her fangs. The demon ducked and stepped behind her, but apparently not quickly enough, as Trevor heard it scream in pain.</p>
<p>The demon jumped backwards off the walkway, taking flight and diving at Trevor. Trevor ducked, swinging upwards with the broken spear and swinging at the demon’s shoulder, hoping to damage its wings. It fell, rolling to land in a heap farther down the walkway. Lucia appeared at the other end of the walkway, blue eyes burning with rage and dark, almost black blood dripping from her mouth. Trevor rushed at the demon, but it blocked his strike with its wings, ducking to the ground and sending him tumbling over it to the other side, crashing into Lucia when he landed.</p>
<p>“Fuck,” Lucia groaned as they landed in a heap. Trevor laughed, but quickly dissolved into a hoarse cough, as he had knocked the wind out of himself as he landed.</p>
<p>“That about sums it up, yeah,” he said.</p>
<p>Trevor spit as he stood, glaring down the demon before he attacked it again. Lucia snarled somewhere behind him, and he felt an almost familiar change in the air that came from her speed, as she jumped, kicked herself off the railing, and threw a rapid series of punches at it as she landed. She ducked under its wings and behind it as Trevor swung with the broken spear again. It stumbled back, right into Lucia’s attack. She must have picked up her knife from the walkway, as she slashed across the demon’s back. The demon hissed again, spreading its wings out, knocking Lucia’s knife loose again.</p>
<p>“You know what? Fuck it,” Lucia growled. She kicked at the demon’s knees, wrapping one arm around its shoulder and chest, trapping one of its arms. Her other hand reached for its face, pulling its head back. With a snarl and glowing red eyes, Lucia ducked her head and bit into the demon’s throat, twisting her head and tearing a chunk of flesh away when she pulled back.</p>
<p>“Well shit,” Trevor said as the demon toppled backwards over the railing of the walkway. Lucia turned to look up at him, her eyes fading back to their usual icy blue color, and she laughed. It was a short, hoarse sound that ended in a cough as she spat the demon’s dark blood from her mouth.</p>
<p>“Ugh,” she groaned. “I’d forgotten how fucking nasty demon blood tastes.”</p>
<p>“Normally I’d make fun of you,” Trevor replied. “But right now, I’ll just…take your word for it.”</p>
<p>Suddenly, the second firedrake landed on the walkway and growled fiercely at them. Lucia pulled a face, rolled her eyes, and snarled right back. Trevor chose not to comment this time around; the deep, chest-growl Lucia let out was infinitely more intimidating after having watched her rip a demon’s throat out with her fangs. He turned his attention to the firedrake instead.</p>
<p>“You’re an evil looking bastard, aren’t you?” he said, brandishing his broken spear at it. “Well, I’m armed with a…a stick, hmm? So, I’ll understand if you want to run away now.” The firedrake snarled, advancing on them. “No? Fine then…When you get back to whatever steaming underworld shithole you came from, you tell them there are still Belmonts up here.”</p>
<p>The firedrake roared and lunged at them. Trevor ducked, striking upwards with his broken spear. Lucia lunged, grabbing one of the chains supporting the walkway and swinging around it, kicking the firedrake across the face as she did. The firedrake toppled over the edge of the walkway, landing in the library below. When it got up, it focused on something down there, and Lucia’s eyes widened as she followed its gaze.</p>
<p>“Sypha!” she yelled.</p>
<p>Trevor swore, running along the walkway and jumping at the demon, kicking it down an aisle of bookshelves, away from where Sypha stood, frozen. Lucia jumped down from the walkway as well, landing next to Sypha. Sypha raised an eyebrow at her, looking pointedly at her mouth before turning and running back to the lectern. Lucia turned away, chasing after Trevor and the firedrake.</p>
<p>As she followed the growling of the firedrake, she stumbled across her sword and daggers scattered on the ground. She barely paused to pick them up before she heard the firedrake behind her, Trevor running after it. Trevor yelled out to her, and Lucia ducked as the firedrake launched itself at her, kicking one leg out to the side to balance herself and thrusting upwards into its chest with her sword. It roared and coughed a mouthful of smoke at her before she shoved it sideways into a bookshelf.</p>
<p>She stood, wiping her sword on her shirt before sheathing it, and turned to look at Trevor. He stood several feet away, battered, bruised, and panting heavily. Lucia sighed deeply, and the two locked eyes for a moment, nodding together before turning and running for the lectern.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia ran through the hold towards the lectern where they had set up the distance mirror earlier, Trevor just behind her. He paused in the middle of an aisle, giving a short laugh as he snatched the Morning Star whip from where it had fallen and coiling it up as they ran. Lucia skidded to a stop at the lectern, next to where Alucard stood, watching. Trevor stopped short behind her, nearly crashing into her back.</p>
<p>Sypha stood in front of the mirror, and blue lightning crackled in the air between her hands and the mirror. Her hands were in front of her, between them was a concentrated ball of bright blue magic, and she stood as if being blown backwards by a powerful gust of wind, her hair and robes whipping around her.</p>
<p>“Do as you’re told,” Sypha said, though her voice was strained with the effort of the magic. Lucia’s eyes drifted to the mirror, where intimidating silhouette of Dracula’s castle was displayed. The sky behind the castle was dark and storm clouds rolled, lightning crackling between them. A shudder ran down Lucia’s spine and her eyes widened.</p>
<p>The ground rumbled again suddenly. Trevor stumbled, swaying dangerously on his feet. Lucia tripped, pitching forward before catching herself. Alucard lunged to steady the mirror as Sypha’s magic faded and she stumbled back. Lucia reached out an arm to steady her. The rumbling stopped as quickly as it had started. </p>
<p>“Ha! I did it!” Sypha exclaimed. Slowly, Alucard turned away from the mirror, looking to Sypha.</p>
<p>“Where did you land the castle, Sypha?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Right on top of us!” She replied cheerfully, clapping her hands together. A second later, her smile fell, and she looked up warily. “Oh, mmm, yes. I landed it on the surface, right above this underground space that’s probably only held up by wood and dirt.”</p>
<p>“Sypha!” Lucia gave a nervous laugh, and Sypha grinned sheepishly at her. Lucia quirked an eyebrow as Sypha’s eyes ran down and back up her body.</p>
<p>“Lucia! You are covered in blood! What happened to you?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“None of it is mine!” Lucia assured her, spreading her hands out in front of herself placatingly.</p>
<p>“I can’t decide if that makes it better or worse,” Sypha responded.</p>
<p>“Well,” Trevor drawled, coming to stand next to Lucia. “None of it is hers, so she’s not hurt.” Lucia snickered, reaching out suddenly to take Trevor’s flask from his belt, pop it open, and tilt her head back as she drank the alcohol, desperately hoping to wash the bitter, burning aftertaste of demon’s blood from her mouth.</p>
<p>“You.” Trevor pointed suddenly at Alucard. “You’ve been holding back on us. You should have seen Lucia up there; I’ve never seen anyone fight like that. Floating vampire Jesus here included.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Sypha asked, and Lucia felt everyone’s eyes on her suddenly. She made a vague motion with her hand, still drinking.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Trevor said, and Lucia could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “But then…She also drank demon blood, like an idiot, apparently having forgotten that it tastes disgusting. So, there’s also that.”</p>
<p>Lucia made a face behind the flask, extending her middle finger towards Trevor before she swallowed the last bit of alcohol in the flask. She tilted her head back up, glancing at Trevor before tossing the empty flask at him. He caught it, grumbling about how she could have drunk from her own, and how that was the only alcohol he had.</p>
<p>“It was blood from a demon—you know, beasts from hell possessing mutated corpses of dead humans—what did you expect?” Alucard added. Lucia pulled a face.</p>
<p>“It’s not like I drank it <em>on purpose!”</em> she exclaimed. “Fuck off, the both of you.”</p>
<p>“Anyway!” Sypha interrupted. “We should go!”</p>
<p>The four of them headed upstairs, back up to the doorway to the library and into the entry hall. Lucia grimaced as she looked up. The damage to the hold itself had been minimal—some broken glass, scattered books, a few shelves that had been knocked around, and the doorway had been splattered with blood and scorch marks in the explosion—but the entire staircase system in the entry hall had been reduced to rubble. Splintered wood and debris from the wrecked staircase lay scattered on the floor, and the corpse from the enormous horned demon lay collapsed to one side where it had fallen.</p>
<p>“The staircase is a wreck. We’re not getting up there without ropes. Start looking,” Trevor commented. He paused a moment to look around, staring up at the sheer amount they would have to climb. “Damn. This is gonna be hard.”</p>
<p>Sypha brought her hands in front of her suddenly, reaching out in front of her before bringing them to still on either side of her face. Ice formed along the ground underneath them in a wide circle, slowly rising to create a small platform.</p>
<p>“We don’t need ropes. Here we go,” Sypha said, bringing her hands together in front of her chest. The ice platform began to grow, rising towards the surface.</p>
<p>Lucia took a deep, shuddering breath, looking up. What she could see of the sky was pitch-dark and cloudy. The moon was full, but had turned a deep, blood red that sent another shudder down Lucia’s back. <em>This is really it. We brought the castle here and we’re going up to fight Dracula…We can do this, </em>she assured herself, even as her heart pounded in her chest and a small, traitorous part of her mind wondered if they would truly carry it off. <em>Will my father be there? Will he have left? Will the other murderous bastards who had the church kill my mother be there? </em>Lucia wondered. <em>Will I finally be able to have revenge on them, in addition to stopping Dracula’s war on humanity…And will I live long enough for it to mean anything?</em></p>
<p>Sypha stopped the ice platform at the surface, and the four of them jumped from the ice onto solid ground. Sypha paused and, with a gesture and thrust of her arms outward, launched the pillar of ice out of the hold and off into the woods somewhere, where it landed with a crashing, shattering sound. Lucia stood, her head tilted slightly so her braid fell over her shoulder, and raised an eyebrow at Sypha. Alucard and Trevor stood behind her, also staring at the Speaker-Magician.</p>
<p>“Well, I didn’t want to leave it in there to melt and ruin all your beautiful books,” Sypha explained, shrugging.</p>
<p>“It seems damp enough out here as it is,” Alucard commented, lifting his foot to look at the mud the ground had become. Lucia hummed softly, noting that the ground around the castle had been soaked, and several large puddles had cropped up. <em>What the fuck happened there? </em>She wondered absently.</p>
<p>“Oh! But look!” Sypha exclaimed, pointing towards the castle itself. Lucia tilted her head back to see. It was <em>enormous</em>. Several bridges connected towers of the castle that otherwise seemed to stand on their own, unsupported. Stone archways and tiled, pointed roofs stretched up into the night sky.</p>
<p>“You did it Sypha,” Trevor said.</p>
<p>“Yes, but…seeing it is something else entirely,” Sypha said softly. “I’m pretty good, right?” Lucia snickered softly at the proud, but still playful tone of her voice.</p>
<p>“You’re the best,” Trevor told her. His face grew serious, and he turned to Alucard. “Alucard. Are you ready for this?”</p>
<p>“No,” he answered, not taking his eyes off the castle, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword and walking towards the entrance. “But let’s put an end to this anyway.”</p>
<p>Lucia noticed three things immediately upon entering Dracula’s castle. The first was that there was already a fight happening there, between Dracula’s generals and his forces—dressed head to toe in black armor, capes, and hoods—and an unknown force of vampires, dressed in elaborate black and white armor. Lucia barely had time to wonder what was going on with that before she caught sight of a few familiar faces and froze to her spot.</p>
<p>Two vampires stood on the fringes of the battle, up at the top of the staircase at the far side of the entry hall, dressed in clothing common of the wealthy upper class in <em>Castilla</em>. One was a man with an olive complexion, dark hair, and piercing green eyes; he also wore some armor, and visibly carried a sword. A woman with similar coloring and sharp features stood next to him, dressed similarly. Lucia clenched her jaw, her hand tightening around the handle of her sword. <em>Right there. Both of the bastards who killed mamma are standing right over there, and not doing a damn thing. They wanted this war, but they won’t fight it? I could just…</em>Lucia’s line of thought stopped abruptly as incoherent rage bubbled in her chest. The third thing she noticed, vaguely, was that the vampires quickly caught sight of her, Alucard, Trevor, and Sypha, and whatever battle they were fighting ceased abruptly as everyone in the entrance hall of the castle stared at them. Lucia smirked viciously.</p>
<p>“I terrify them, Sypha disorients them, Alucard and Lucia go over the top, and we support them,” Trevor said, drawing the Morning Star whip from his belt.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Sypha agreed. Lucia caught Trevor’s gaze out of the corner of her eye and nodded sharply, drawing her sword. Alucard lifted his own sword, drawing the sheath off it and leaving the blade hovering in the air. Lucia raised an eyebrow as the sword moved to Alucard’s side, floating next to his head. <em>Later, </em>she told herself. <em>Ask about it later. </em></p>
<p>“Begin,” Alucard said, his tone eerily calm, but with an icy edge to it that Lucia had never heard from him.</p>
<p>Trevor and Sypha ran forward, towards the oncoming army of vampires. Trevor launched the mace head of his whip at one of them, and the vampire gave a yell before he exploded. The force of the explosion blew any nearby vampires back, disorienting the group for a moment. It was enough time for Trevor to advance, taking another nearby vampire’s head off with the Morning Star, causing another small explosion.</p>
<p>With a wordless yell, Sypha threw her arms forward, before crossing them in front of her. A ring of fire lit the room, creating a barrier between Trevor and the army of vampires. The flames flew high and extended to the walls, effectively blocking any exit out the front gates of the castle.</p>
<p>“Over the top,” Lucia murmured to herself, rushing forward beside Alucard and wincing slightly as she leapt through the flames.</p>
<p>Lucia crouched as she landed, swinging her sword at the nearest vampire and beheading him before he could process that she had landed. Lucia turned over her shoulder towards where she guessed Alucard had landed, only to see a large white wolf darting between the vampires with the same unnatural speed Lucia and Alucard possessed. <em>Another thing to ask later, </em>Lucia thought absently. She watched Alucard, in wolf form, leap at a vampire on the other side of the entry hall before she turned her attention back to her own fight.</p>
<p>A soldier, clad in black and white armor, brought a wicked looking halberd down on her. Lucia blocked the blow with her sword, stepping and spinning under the block to draw herself close to the soldier before swinging her blade across his abdomen, drawing back to slice across his throat as he fell forward. Another soldier advanced quickly on her, swinging a short sword. Lucia parried the blade, kicking the soldier squarely in the chest and driving him stumbling back. Taking a few long, running steps forward, Lucia closed the distance and lunged to thrust her sword through his throat.</p>
<p>Lucia turned quickly, ducking under an oncoming soldier’s attack with a spear. She side-stepped him, aiming a kick into his knee as she came up on his side. He fell to a kneel, and Lucia rolled over his back, using it to give herself momentum as she leapt at another soldier, stabbing through a gap in his armor. She tucked herself into a ball and rolled as she landed on the ground again, slashing her sword at the legs of nearby soldiers as she rose to a kneel. As Lucia quickly pulled herself to her feet, another soldier came at her, slashing at her with his sword and driving her back. Lucia growled, blocking the attacks and planting her feet.</p>
<p>“Lucia! Duck!” Alucard’s voice sounded somewhere behind her. Lucia ducked, and not a second later felt a short gust of wind as Alucard’s sword appeared seemingly from nowhere and stabbed the soldier through the heart. Lucia turned to look back at Alucard, nodding her thanks.  </p>
<p>Suddenly, Lucia was jolted by a strong grip on her shoulder and forcefully spun around. The man Lucia has recognized when she entered snarled and drew back a short sword to attack her. Lucia ducked, twisting under the arm that held her and out of his grip, aiming a punch at his ribs with her free hand. He turned, advancing on her with another slash with his blade. Lucia parried the strike with a snarl of her own, fanning it away from her to disengage the blades. She ducked under a strike at her head, stepping in close and drawing her dagger to slash up the vampire’s side. He hissed, laughing.</p>
<p>“Not bad for a half-breed abomination,” he commented, swinging his sword at her again. Lucia blocked and parried another rapid series of strikes that drove her backwards before ducking under one, stepping aside to put herself offline, next to the vampire.</p>
<p>“Not bad yourself for a scheming murderous bastard,” she spat. The vampire paused look at her for a second.</p>
<p>“Now you sound like Fernando. You…You <em>look</em> just like him too. Who even <em>are </em>you—Oh my <em>god!”</em> The vampire’s green eyes widened and he laughed. Lucia hissed, outrage and pain bubbling in her chest. “Fernando really went and had a child with that human woman—”</p>
<p>“Her name was Julia,” Lucia hissed, blocking another strike and fanning the vampire’s sword away from her with enough force to disarm the vampire in front of her. “Her name was Julia Savona, and she was mother! And you <em>killed</em> her!” Lucia shouted, ignoring the way her voice broke and planting her foot in the vampire’s chest, kicking him forcefully backwards.</p>
<p>“Is that why you’re here?” the vampire taunted, grinning. “To avenge the death of your pathetic human mother? To stop us, to stop Dracula’s war, because it’s what you believe she would have wanted? Do you truly think you can?”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure it’s what she would have wanted for me.” Lucia chuckled darkly, quickly rushing towards the vampire, grabbing him forcefully by the collar with one hand, her sword poised in the other. “But it will sure as hell make me feel better.”</p>
<p>No sooner did Lucia stab him than a high-pitched scream pierced the air, and Lucia was shoved sideways by the vampire woman she had seen with him. They had the same skin tone, hair, and eyes, Lucia noticed as she pulled herself up from the ground where she had fallen, scrambling for her sword. Her dagger lay on the floor behind the woman, and Lucia grimaced.</p>
<p>“My brother,” the woman said icily. “He’s my brother…You will pay for that.”</p>
<p>“You killed my mamma. Doesn’t this make us even?” Lucia shot back, dodging as the woman lunged at her, fangs bared.  </p>
<p>She did not have time to answer. As the woman rounded on Lucia again, she jolted suddenly, and an icicle sprouted from the woman’s throat. Lucia stared, wide-eyed, as she crumpled and fell over. Lucia looked up to see Sypha standing nearby, a ring of sharpened icicles floating in front of her. Lucia grinned, nodding at Sypha, and Sypha returned the gesture.</p>
<p>Lucia turned sideways and back, dodging, as Sypha launched icicles into the oncoming attack of soldiers as they rushed towards where Trevor and Sypha stood. Turning back towards Sypha after dodging an attack from one of the soldiers that had not been impaled on an icicle, Lucia grimaced to see Sypha clap her hands together, effectively slicing one of the generals in half with a large sheet of ice.</p>
<p>An explosion sounded behind her, and Lucia was nearly knocked off her feet with the force of it. When Lucia straightened up, all of the soldiers in the entry hall lay dead, the last of them taken out by the explosion Trevor had set off. Lucia tilted her head slightly, listening, straining her senses for any sign of Dracula’s other generals. A few feet to her right, Alucard stood eerily still, doing the same.</p>
<p>Mist swirled around their feet suddenly, and Lucia whirled quickly around to see a vampire woman floating behind them. Her long, straight hair billowed out behind her, and she wore ornate, dark-colored robes adorned with gold, in a style Lucia had never seen before. With a wave of her hand, she sent a thick fog to envelop Lucia and Alucard. Lucia dashed away, out of the fog, and stopped on the woman’s other side. Alucard appeared suddenly behind her, slashing at her head with his sword. The woman disappeared in a cloud of mist.</p>
<p>Lucia whipped her head around, her braid swinging over her shoulder as she sensed the woman’s movement nearby. She hissed loudly as she felt her arm twisted up behind her, and she was pulled back against someone’s chest. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucia could see that the woman with the dark robes had grabbed her. She struggled against the grip, making to stab at her with her sword, but her arm was twisted painfully, and she felt her shoulder pop.</p>
<p>While Lucia struggled against the woman in dark robes, Alucard had been knocked out of the air by two more of Dracula’s generals, a woman with long brown hair and dark skin, and a dark blue dress and robes, and a man with a silver-gray beard and red cloak. Alucard’s sword clattered to the floor in front of Lucia, and he stood from where he had been thrown into a wall. He summoned his sword quickly, baring his fangs in a silent snarl at the woman behind Lucia as he lunged towards them. Lucia heard a low chuckle before the woman’s hand gripped harshly under her chin, long claws digging in slightly at her throat—not enough to be painful, or do any more than scratch at her skin, but enough to be a threat. Lucia’s breath hitched and her heart pounded in her chest.</p>
<p>“I might not, if I were you,” she said lightly, and Lucia could practically hear the smirk in her voice.</p>
<p>Lucia mentally steeled herself, closing her eyes for a brief moment before she leaned her upper body back, twisting away from her pinned shoulder, and slashed at the woman’s side with her sword. The woman hissed, shoving Lucia forward towards Alucard and disappearing in a cloud of mist. Alucard caught Lucia’s arms as she stumbled into him, steadying her. She whirled around, slotting her shoulder blades against Alucard’s, standing back to back with him as she scanned the immediate area.</p>
<p>Mist swirled around their feet again, and the woman in dark robes slowly appeared in a large misty form to Lucia’s left. A bitter cold wind blew suddenly, enveloping the misty form of the vampire woman. When the wind died down, the woman was frozen in her mist form. Lucia and Alucard both turned towards a movement to the side, and with a wordless yell and a chopping motion of her hand, Sypha shattered the ice.</p>
<p>Trevor rushed past Sypha suddenly, and Sypha formed a circle of ice under his foot, raising a pillar to boost him into the air as he cracked the Morning Star whip in the direction of the two remaining generals, wrapping the man with the chains. Alucard leapt into the air as well, swinging his sword on the last general, quickly decapitating her. Trevor yanked down on the whip, dragging the final general to the ground.</p>
<p>Sypha rushed at him where he landed in a kneel. Sypha’s hand began to glow brightly as she approached, and she pressed her glowing palm to the vampire’s face when she finally reached him. There was a bright flash that made Lucia turn her head aside, grimacing, and the vampire caught fire and quickly burned up. Sypha shoved him aside, approaching where Alucard, Trevor, and Lucia stood, smiling slightly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An unearthly growl sounded suddenly in the distance. Lucia, Sypha, Alucard, and Trevor all turned towards the sound. A horde of night creatures—some flying on leathery bat-like wings, two large, reptilian beasts with short arms, and a large, furry beast that seemed to be a firedrake—appeared at the top of the stairs. Lucia rolled her shoulders, pulling herself up to her full height, and drew her sword once more. Glancing quickly at each other, the four of them ran for the stairs.</p><p>Trevor cracked his whip at the flying demons as they swooped down at them, and the subsequent explosion made quick work of all three flying night creatures. The firedrake opened its mouth to spit flames at them, but Sypha held her hands out in front of her, magically holding back the beast’s flames in its mouth. It coughed, choking on the fumes, before the fire built up inside the beast and caused it to spontaneously combust.</p><p>Alucard glanced at Lucia, nodding quickly towards the two remaining night creatures. Lucia smirked, nodding, and they both rushed forward. Lucia jumped to avoid one of the demons swinging its tail at her, thrusting her sword into its chest as she landed. Alucard had paused behind her, staring up at something higher up on the staircase. He thrust one hand out in front of him suddenly, sending his sword up. Lucia leaned back to look, just in time to see a dark-skinned man on the stairs shield himself from Alucard’s sword behind the body of a vampire soldier. Alucard withdrew his sword, and the man took off, running up the staircase.</p><p>The final remaining night creature snarled, rushing down the stairs towards them. Alucard gestured in its direction with one hand, and his sword flew forward to slice the creature’s throat. Lucia raised her eyebrows, looking between Alucard and the night creature. Alucard tilted his head slightly, quirking an eyebrow at her. Lucia scoffed, shaking her head and running up the stairs after Trevor and Sypha.</p><p>Alucard quickly passed Trevor and Sypha on the stairs, navigating the castle with ease. Trevor, Sypha, and Lucia followed behind him as quickly as they could, scrambling to a halt and turning back when Lucia noticed her had turned towards an open door and entered the room. The three stood in the shadows of the doorway to what Lucia guessed was a study, watching Alucard stare down an impossibly tall, imposing figure with dark hair and beard, glowing red eyes, and wearing a black, high-collared cloak. <em>Dracula. That…That’s fucking Dracula, </em>Lucia realized, eyes widening.</p><p>“Father,” Alucard said, his voice somehow steady and even.</p><p>“Son,” Dracula replied in the same grim tone.</p><p>“Your war is over,” Alucard continued.</p><p>“Because you say so?” Dracula asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“It ends…in the name of my mother,” Alucard replied. His back was turned to Lucia, but she could imagine the look on his face, stony, unreadable, determined, his golden eyes icy and narrowed.</p><p>“It <em>endures</em> in the name of your mother!” Dracula furrowed his eyebrows.</p><p>“I told you before, I won’t let you do it,” Alucard said. “I grieve with you…but I won’t let you commit genocide.”</p><p>“You couldn’t stop me before,” Dracula said flatly.</p><p>“I was alone before,” Alucard replied.</p><p>Trevor stepped forward out of the shadows, Sypha and Lucia following close behind, all three of them moving to stand on either side of Alucard. Dracula stared at the group for a long moment, confusion flashing briefly across his face as his eyes landed on Lucia. She suppressed a shudder as she held his gaze, lifting her chin defiantly. Dracula looked immediately back to Alucard, scowling.</p><p>Alucard lifted his sword, rushing across the study at Dracula, pushing him up against the far wall, near a crackling fireplace. The room shook with the force of the impact; the chair near the desk toppled over, books fell from the shelves, a portrait hanging above the fireplace fell off the wall, the very stone cracked where Dracula hit it. Dracula had caught the point of Alucard’s blade in one hand, staying it, and slowly walking forward against him, even as Alucard hissed and pushed against Dracula.</p><p>Alucard pulled his sword back suddenly, slashing at Dracula again. Dracula moved minutely, but almost faster than Lucia could track, evading each strike. Dracula raised his hand to block Alucard’s next strike, trapping his arm before reaching out and backhanding Alucard away from him. Alucard fell, tumbling dangerously close to the fireplace with a yell. Dracula turned then to the rest of them. Sypha raised her hands in front of her chest, preparing for some kind of magic.</p><p>Trevor rushed forward, and Lucia followed a half step behind him, drawing her sword. Dracula ran directly at them, knocking Lucia aside towards a wall and tackling Trevor out the open door into the hallway. Lucia groaned as she hit the wall, but quickly shook herself off, running out of the room into the hall.</p><p>Sypha put a hand up to stop her just outside the door, and Lucia looked at her, confused. Sypha shook her head slightly, raising her hands and summoning a stream of fire. She moved forward, out the door, aiming the flames at Dracula’s back. Lucia crept out of the study, into the hall, as Dracula raised his cloak to protect himself from Sypha’s fire.</p><p>“Speaker-Magician,” Dracula growled, rushing at Sypha. Sypha conjured a shield of ice to block him, but Dracula lashed out at her. The ice shield shattered, and Sypha was sent flying backwards, tumbling as she hit the ground, her shoulder scratched and bleeding.</p><p>“Sypha!” Trevor yelled at the same moment Lucia did.</p><p>Trevor stumbled to his feet, and Lucia rushed to put herself between Dracula and Sypha as he approached.  She stood between the two, her feet planted on the floor and her sword raised. Dracula paused for a second, looking intently at Lucia. Lucia hissed, swinging her sword at him. Dracula quickly dodged the attack, and the next one. At Lucia’s third strike, Dracula caught her arm, driving a punch into her stomach that sent her reeling backwards.</p><p>“You are an unexpected addition,” Dracula commented, his voice deep and gravelly. Lucia coughed as she regained her footing and tried to catch her breath. “The stories spoke of a hunter and a scholar, but never another dhampir. I wasn’t expecting…you.”</p><p>“Yeah, well,” Lucia rasped. “It doesn’t seem like anyone was expecting me today. But I’m fucking here!”</p><p>At that moment, Trevor caught up to them. He grabbed Dracula’s shoulder and forcefully spun him around to face him. Trevor threw two or three punches at Dracula’s face, though none of them seemed to affect him in the slightest. Dracula merely turned his head towards Trevor.</p><p>“You must be the Belmont,” he said. Trevor’s only answer was to throw a punch into Dracula’s stomach. Dracula responded in the same way, punching Trevor in the gut before grabbing him by the throat with one hand, the other poised to strike. “The end of your line.”</p><p>Alucard appeared in the hallway suddenly, thrusting his sword to pierce the gauntlets of Dracula’s armor, skewering both of his forearms on the sword. Dracula paused, glancing sideways at Alucard. Lucia lunged forward, drawing her dagger as she did, barely registering Sypha quickly getting up behind her, and slashing the dagger across Dracula’s back, aiming a kick at one of his knees as she did. He took a step forward to regain his balance, releasing his hold on Trevor’s throat as he did. Trevor dropped to the ground, stumbling and coughing.</p><p>Sypha ran around in front at the same moment, aiming another stream of fire directly at Dracula’s face. Lucia ducked the flames, moving to stand near Alucard. Dracula reeled, struggling to move away from Sypha’s attack, but limited by Alucard’s sword through his arms. Sypha moved to the side, opposite where Alucard and Lucia stood. The flames burned dangerously close to them, and Lucia grimaced, bringing her arms up to cover her face. The heat of the flames disappeared suddenly, and Lucia looked up to see that Sypha had dropped her hands slightly, ceasing her stream of fire.</p><p>Dracula wrenched one of his arms free, swatting at Sypha and sending her staggering back. Lucia barely had time to gasp and wince as Sypha hit the wall before crumbling to the ground before Dracula rounded on her. Dracula swung an arm at her, and while she tried to block his strike, she was sent backwards into Alucard, and they both went flying backwards down the hall. Lucia yelped as she landed on Alucard, both of them tumbling to a stop in a tangled heap of limbs. Lucia groaned, gingerly probing at her left shoulder as she sat up. Her left side had taken the brunt of the blow, and still ached where the vampire woman who could phase into mist had twisted it behind her and popped it.</p><p>Lucia looked up just in time to see Trevor drive the broken spear he had taken from a demon in the hold into Dracula’s chest. He had missed his heart, stabbing more in Dracula’s shoulder. Dracula swung at Trevor, who effectively dodged the attacks. Alucard stood, dragging one hand down his face, and offering his other hand to Lucia, pulling her back to her feet. Next to her, Sypha tore off what was left of her sleeve and pressed a glowing, almost flaming hand to her shoulder wound, effectively cauterizing it. Sypha made to cast another spell at Dracula. Dracula, however, grabbed Trevor by the arm and threw him into her, sending them both down to the ground with a dull thud.</p><p>Alucard rushed past her then, pushing Dracula against the wall with a shout and pinning him there with his forearm. Dracula raised his hands, clasping them together and bringing them down on Alucard’s shoulders and the back of his neck with enough force that the stone floor beneath his feet cracked. Lucia flinched, grimacing. Alucard brought his own hands up, pushing Dracula’s hands away and striking down on his collarbones.</p><p>Dracula shoved him backwards forcefully, and Alucard let out a yell as he landed and stumbled back to where Lucia stood. Lucia caught him by the shoulders, planting her feet and bending her knees to keep her balance, skidding a few feet back on the floor, but managing to right the both of them so they would not fall. Alucard looked sharply over his shoulder at her, blond hair flying around his face, and nodded gratefully.</p><p>Lucia turned to see Sypha send shards of ice up from the floor into Dracula’s leg, pinning him in place, while Trevor drew the Morning Star whip, spinning it and coiling it around himself to gain momentum before launching the mace head at Dracula. It struck him directly in the chest, causing a powerful explosion. When the smoke cleared, Dracula stood unmoved for a moment before pitching forward onto his knees, catching himself on his hands before he fell completely.</p><p>“The Morning Star whip,” Dracula said, standing slowly. Lucia felt her eyes widen in shock, her heart racing. <em>What the fuck? What the fuck? What the <strong>fuck</strong></em><strong>?</strong> She thought frantically.  “Well played, Belmont. But I am no ordinary vampire to be killed by your human magics. I am Vlad Dracula Tepes, and I have had enough!”  </p><p>With that, Dracula conjured a massive, fiery ball of molten rock, hurtling it down the hallway towards Sypha, Trevor, Lucia, and Alucard. Sypha rushed forward, putting herself directly in its path, thrusting her hands forward with a yell and attempting to hold it back with her magic. Her sandals found little traction on the rug covering the stone floor, and she slowly began sliding back as the molten rock ball continued to advance on them. Trevor and Lucia came up behind Sypha, slotting their shoulder blades against hers, bracing themselves on the floor, and allowing Sypha to use them to support and anchor herself.</p><p>Alucard appeared suddenly in front of Sypha, holding one hand out to summon his sword, and thrusting it out into the ball of molten rock with both hands. Standing his ground in front of them, Alucard managed to stop the molten rock’s advance. Sypha and Trevor both grunted next to her with the effort of blocking the powerful magic. Lucia grit her teeth and let out a low groan, pushing harder against Sypha’s back. With one last burst of her magic, Sypha propelled the molten ball of rock forward towards Dracula, Alucard just behind it. With a burst of light and a small explosion, the rock melted an enormous hole in the wall, launching both Alucard and Dracula through to another section of the castle.</p><p>“Well fuck,” Lucia murmured as the three of them stood, staring at the enormous hole that melted through the wall.</p><p>Trevor muttered his agreement, and Sypha let out a breathless laugh, swaying dangerously on her feet. Lucia reached an arm out to steady her as Trevor picked Alucard’s sword up from where it fell, running to the end of the hall where the smoldering hole lay. Sypha and Lucia followed behind him, and they all paused at the end of the hallway. Trevor turned left, leading them towards a landing and a flight of stairs.</p><p>Behind her, Lucia could hear the sounds of Dracula and Alucard’s battle. She winced, grimacing at the thumping and crashing sounds as she hurried up the stairs. She strained her ears, vaguely making out conversation, but she could not parse the words. Lucia, Trevor and Sypha made their way off the staircase and down a hallway. The sounds of the fight rang louder in Lucia’s ears as she ran, barely keeping human-levels of speed so she would not lose Sypha and Trevor.</p><p>“Next floor up!” Sypha exclaimed. “I hear them!”</p><p>The three ran down the hallway, taking another turn towards where Lucia hoped they would find another staircase to take them upstairs. There was not, and, amid all three of them swearing vehemently in various languages, the group doubled back, heading down the other side of the hallway, where they found a staircase. Lucia grimaced as she heard several successive crashes and shouting above her, pushing herself just a little faster and taking the stairs two at a time. The crashing sounds shifted, moving farther away, and Lucia groaned.</p><p>“I don’t think they’re on the upstairs floor anymore!” she called behind her to Sypha and Trevor. Trevor groaned loudly, and the three regrouped on the landing, heading back down the long winding staircase, towards the other side of the castle where Lucia heard the fighting.</p><p>“Where are they now?” Sypha asked as they hurried down the hallway again. Lucia paused, listening intently. The sounds of the fighting were fainter now, farther away, and Lucia grimaced.</p><p>“Far…” she trailed off, tilting her head. “Down at least one more flight of stairs, but...Possibly on the complete opposite side of the castle.”</p><p>“Fuck,” Trevor groaned, panting as he came to a stop beside them. Lucia pulled a face, suddenly hearing nothing. Her heart dropped like a stone in her chest and she glanced quickly between Trevor and Sypha before turning and running at her full speed down the stairs, towards where she had last heard Dracula and Alucard.</p><p>Lucia bolted through the castle, cursing internally whenever she hit a dead end, or wound up farther from where she wanted to go. She wound up taking a different spiral staircase up into another wing of the castle. At the end of a hallway, she heard Alucard and Dracula clearly, but stumbled as she rushed forward, catching herself on the wall. Lucia stopped, leaning on the wall and breathing heavily as her head spun. She forced herself to take deep breaths, pressing her forehead against the cool stone wall.</p><p>After a long moment, Lucia pushed herself off the wall and slowly, cautiously walked down the hallway, one of her daggers drawn. She no longer heard the sounds accompanying a physical fight, though that did nothing to ease the panic that coursed through her. She did, however, hear Dracula speaking, and though she could barely make out his words from the opposite end of the hallway his voice sounded different, softer.</p><p>“We painted this room,” he was saying. “We made these toys. It’s our boy, Lisa.”</p><p>Lucia froze, rooted to her spot as her heart twisted painfully in her chest. <em>Oh fuck! </em>She thought, pressing her free hand to her mouth to stifle the sound bubbling in her throat, unsure if it was a scream or a sob or something in between.</p><p>“Your greatest gift to me…and I’m killing him…I must already be dead,” Dracula said, his voice thick with emotion and breaking slightly.</p><p>Lucia felt tears spring to her eyes as she slowly approached the open door to the room. She stood against the wall on one side of the door, out of sight in the shadow of the doorway, but glancing over her shoulder inside. Dracula and Alucard stood close together in the middle of the room, facing each other.</p><p>The room itself held a small desk, a bed, and numerous toys and artwork that looked to have been drawn by a young child scattered around the room. Lucia’s eyes widened and her heart dropped through the floor as she realized that this must be Alucard’s childhood bedroom. Alucard and Dracula stood, staring at one another for what felt like an eternity, before Dracula dropped his head. Alucard stepped forward, and though Lucia could only see part of his face, she saw several emotions warring on his face, in his eyes, as he moved. He took another step in towards Dracula, his father, and drove a broken piece of the wooden bedpost into Dracula’s chest. Dracula lurched forward with a gasp, blood dripping from his mouth and gushing from the stab wound in his chest, down Alucard’s arm.</p><p>“Son,” he gasped.</p><p>“Father,” Alucard choked out. His eyes welled with tears and his voice cracked.</p><p>Lucia was frozen to her spot in the shadow of the doorway, one hand pressed to her mouth. She turned her head away, and her heart wrenched in her chest. She felt a small part of herself, in the back of her mind, screaming in agony as tears welled in her eyes. Blearily, she blinked them away, leaning against the wall. Suddenly, Lucia heard the sound of shattering glass, and her head snapped up. She turned, deliberately making noise as she took the few short steps to the doorway, standing there and staring wide-eyed.</p><p>Dracula seemed to age thousands of years before her eyes, his skin turning black and beginning to crumble and melt off him. Streams of dust ran down from his joints as he moved, reaching out towards Alucard. Alucard stood, frozen in place, staring at his father. Lucia heard running footsteps approaching, and she took a few shaky, stumbling steps of her own into the room as Trevor and Sypha burst in behind her.</p><p>Dracula continued to decay before their eyes, the process somehow both rapid and torturously slow. He reached out towards Alucard, who backed up a few steps. Trevor quickly drew his sword, rushing towards Dracula and slicing his head off with a yell. Clouds of black smoke rose from the wound, encompassing the room for a moment before settling as Dracula’s body fell to the floor.</p><p>“Alucard. Step back,” Sypha said softly, taking a few steps farther into the room and raising one hand in front of her. “Let me finish this.”</p><p>Alucard said nothing, taking a few steps back and looking down, gripping the bedpost with shaking hands. Lucia’s heart twisted in her chest at the utterly devasted look on Alucard’s face, and the only thing that kept her from reaching out to him was the fact that Sypha suddenly set fire to Dracula’s corpse.</p><p>The fire blazed for a moment, growing to encompass the rug on the floor. Suddenly, the flames turned black, and an otherworldly shriek rose from the fire as black clouds of smoke, vaguely shaped like faces with large smoky bat-like wings erupted from the center of the flame, swirling around the room for a moment, the force of the blast enough to knock Lucia off her feet.</p><p>“Is—Is that it?” Sypha asked, groaning and clutching her shoulder as she leaned against the side of a chair. Lucia scoffed, slowly scrambling to a sitting position from where she had been thrown into the wall.</p><p>“Alucard?” Trevor asked, wiping at his face with one hand. “Did we…do it?”</p><p>Alucard stood in the middle of the room, staring down at the scorched remains of the rug there. Lucia stood, using the wall to support herself, and slowly approaching where Alucard stood, murmuring under her breath. Hesitantly, she lay one hand on his shoulder, breathing an internal sigh of relief when he did not brush her off. He turned his head towards her.</p><p>“We did. I—” he broke off, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Lucia moved her hand from his shoulder down his arm, squeezing gently, and slowly moving to rest her hand on his back. He lurched forward, staring wide-eyed ahead of him. “I killed my father.”</p><p>“You ended a war on humanity,” Trevor said bluntly. “Don’t get weepy about it.” Lucia shot him a sharp glare, and Sypha held up one hand to silence Trevor, stepping forward.</p><p>“Trevor’s right. You’ve saved countless lives,” Sypha said. Alucard did not look at her, or Trevor, or Lucia, his eyes downcast. “But it’s alright to mourn the man too.”</p><p>“He died a long time ago,” Alucard said after a long moment, looking up at them. He turned gently to shake Lucia’s hand from his back, catching it in his own and squeezing it for a moment before letting go. Lucia gave a watery smile and a short nod. With that, the four left the bedroom, making their way up to the main entry hall of the castle.</p><p>Alucard took a few steps away from them as they reached the bottom of the main staircase, staring resolutely out the entrance of the castle. Lucia bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before stepping forward, gently placing one hand on Alucard’s shoulder and taking one of his still-shaking hands in her own. Sypha approached on his other side, mirroring the gesture, and Alucard looked between the two of them, smiling weakly. Sypha then reached out with one hand, taking Trevor’s hand and gently leading him back to them. Together, the four of them walked out the doors of the castle, into the bright light of the rising sun.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, that was absolutely gut-wrenching to write, guys. I was up until 4 AM doing this and I definitely cried a little. This scene fucks me up every time...So obviously I had to rip Lucia's heart out too.</p><p>I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After pondering for a few long moments, Sypha and Lucia agreed that the morning’s first order of business would be to clean up as much of the mess from the castle and the Belmont Hold as they could. Sypha had used her magic to clear the rubble from the fallen staircase in the hold, and had gone down to clear the bodies of the demons. Alucard, Trevor and Lucia had done a quick sweep of the castle, clearing dead bodies, broken glass, and other large-scale debris. Once it was cleared, Trevor suggested burning everything in a controlled blaze behind the castle; it seemed like the best way to deal with the whole mess. Alucard and Lucia moved stones to line the edges of the pit, and Sypha had enthusiastically lit the whole thing ablaze. The four of them stood silently until the whole thing burned and smoldered out before heading back inside, Alucard murmuring something about going to check the damage to the engine room before leaving in that direction.</p><p>“What should we do now?” Sypha asked quietly as they stood in the entry hall of the castle.</p><p>“I could probably sleep for the rest of the day,” Lucia replied, smiling slightly.</p><p>“It is nine-thirty in the morning,” Trevor said. Lucia pulled a face.</p><p>“Yes…and?” Lucia raised an eyebrow. “We spent most of the night fighting vampires, demons, and Dracula himself. I’m fucking <em>tired</em>, and I’m sure you two are too.”</p><p>“Alright, alright,” Trevor replied, raising his hands placatingly. “Fair enough. I could go for a nap.”</p><p>“A bath would be much appreciated as well,” Lucia added. She paused, looking down at herself and grimacing to find the front of her shirt still covered in demon blood. She untied her cloak from her shoulders, folding it in her hands, unsure why she had put it back on when Sypha brought it up for her from where Lucia had left it in the hold. “And some food. Perhaps not in that order.”</p><p>“Oh, <em>now</em> you’re onto something!” Sypha exclaimed, rolling her shoulders. “I am in desperate need of a bath…And so are you.” She nudged Trevor with her elbow.</p><p>“What?” He responded, turning to give Sypha an affronted look.</p><p>“You are!” Sypha defended. “You’re covered in blood too, though not as much as Lucia. And I don’t even know when the last time you bathed was, but it was before we met, and it’s been almost a week since then. You should get in the washroom first.”</p><p>“Hang on, then! Why don’t we let Lucia get in the washroom first?” Trevor asked. “She brought it up, and she’s even more of a mess than I am.” Lucia made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a scoff, faking offense.</p><p>“Rude!” she laughed. “Don’t drag me into your argument. <em>I’m</em> not the one Sypha just said smells.”</p><p>“She did not say I smell!” Trevor replied indignantly, though his mouth quirked up into a small smile. Sypha hummed, looking thoughtful, and glanced at Lucia smirking.</p><p>“She implied it,” Lucia said. Sypha laughed, and Trevor made a face at her, muttering under his breath.</p><p>“I think,” Alucard said, walking down the stairs to join them. “That there are several washrooms in the castle, enough for all of you to take a bath in a separate room. I can show you to them, and we can reconvene in the kitchen to find some food once we’ve all finished?”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan,” Lucia replied, smiling.</p><p>“Speaking of plans…What are you going to do now?” Sypha asked as Alucard led them up the stairs, through the castle.</p><p>“I was going to go back to Gresit, return to my vault, go back to sleep,” he said softly.</p><p>“But?” Trevor prompted after a moment.</p><p>“If I leave the castle here, all his work is inside it; his libraries, his materials, his knowledge. What happens to all that if the structure is abandoned?” Alucard asked. “I can’t just leave it here. It’d be nothing but a grave to be robbed…So, let it be my grave.”</p><p>Alucard paused in his steps as he spoke, and Sypha, Trevor, and Lucia stopped abruptly as well. Lucia felt her eyes go wide at Alucard’s words, and she turned to look at him, concerned. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Her mind felt blank, yet like her thoughts were racing, at once.</p><p>“No,” Trevor said suddenly, his voice low.</p><p>“No?” Alucard echoed, tilting his head just slightly. Lucia watched a few stray locks of golden blond hair fall into his face with the movement, and resisted the sudden urge to reach out and brush the hair away.</p><p>“No,” Trevor said firmly. “We can’t move this thing. Sypha broke it.”</p><p>“I did not!” Sypha defended.</p><p>“You kind of did,” Alucard replied. “The engine room is melted.”</p><p>“I do not break things!” Sypha said indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest.</p><p>“No, you melt them,” Lucia added with a smile.</p><p>“So, we agree she broke it?” Trevor asked.</p><p>“Oh yes,” Alucard said. Lucia nodded her agreement.</p><p>“So, it’s staying right here, forever…Right on top of the Belmont Hold, which is now also open to the world. Up here, your father’s collected knowledge. Down there, the collected knowledge of your mother’s people. As above, so below. Both halves of you, Alucard,” Trevor continued.</p><p>“I’m listening,” Alucard said, narrowing his eyes slightly at Trevor. Lucia knit her eyebrows, glancing at Trevor. <em>Where is he going with his? </em>She wondered.</p><p>“Behold, you sulky, half-vampire bastard,” Trevor said, stepping forward to place a hand on Alucard’s shoulder. “I bequeath you the Belmont Hold. Make that and the castle your home, not your grave. Be its last defender.”</p><p>Lucia stared at Trevor, her eyes wide, and a small smile played at the corner of her lips. Sypha shared a similar wide-eyed look, and Alucard stood, stunned into silence for a moment. He stared at Trevor in shock.</p><p>“You’re giving me your home?” he asked, his voice disbelieving and almost shaky.</p><p>“It’s yours. My childhood home and your childhood home. Protect it. Make something out of it.” Trevor smiled. “Something better than a pile of ruins and a symbol of terror.”</p><p>Alucard smiled, nodding slightly. Lucia smiled brightly, and Sypha stepped forward to lay a hand on Alucard’s shoulder, glancing approvingly at Trevor.</p><p>“Now…You said something about baths, and enough washrooms for each of us to have one of our own?” Trevor asked, nodding down the hallway where they had been headed.</p><p>“Says the man who didn’t want to take one!” Lucia laughed, shaking her head.</p><p>With that, Alucard led them upstairs, through the castle, and into one of the washrooms. Lucia’s eyebrows rose, and she felt her eyes widen as she took in the tiled floors of the room and the large bathtub set into the floor. A few shelves on the wall held various bottles; Lucia could guess the contents of some, scented oils and the like, but others were an absolute mystery. The bathtub had two knobs, which Alucard explained would turn on the water, carried through pipes inside the castle.</p><p>“Hot water, on command and without having to draw it up from a well, from what looks like a keg tap. Sure. Why not?” Trevor summarized. Lucia snickered quietly next to him, while Sypha swatted his arm and muttered about him being rude. Alucard managed to look simultaneously amused and unimpressed.</p><p>“It’s always about beer with you, isn’t it, Belmont?” he asked. “But, essentially, yes.”</p><p>“I am staying in this washroom, I just decided,” Sypha said with a short laugh. She glanced over at Trevor and Lucia. “You two can fight over the other ones, but don’t come looking for me for at least an hour.”</p><p>Trevor quickly claimed one of the other washrooms a little farther down the hall, leaving Alucard and Lucia standing in the hallway. Lucia bit her lower lip slightly, glancing sideways at Alucard.</p><p>“Can I ask you something?” she asked after a moment.</p><p>“Didn’t you just?” Alucard retorted, tilting his head slightly. Lucia gave him a look and swatted lightly at his arm.</p><p>“What are all those bottles for, in the washrooms?” she asked. “Some of them I recognized as scented oils, but some must be other things too.”</p><p>“Some are cleansers and conditioners for your hair,” Alucard replied. “I…admit I do not remember what they are made from at this moment, but it’s not the ashes and egg whites I’ve heard people typically use.”</p><p>“Now, you understand, I have to go see for myself,” Lucia said, smirking. Alucard chuckled, and Lucia made to leave for the washroom. She turned back, looking over her shoulder to see Alucard standing in the hallway as if lost in thought. Lucia made a face, turning and walking back over to him.</p><p>“Alucard?” she asked quietly as she approached. Alucard turned to look at her, and the depth of emotion in his eyes hit Lucia like a punch to the stomach.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, about…everything,” she whispered. Alucard nodded absently. Lucia reached slowly to take his hand in hers. Alucard squeezed her hand, interlacing their fingers, and let out a small, choked sound that made Lucia’s heart twist painfully. “Do you want a hug?”</p><p><em>“Please,”</em> Alucard murmured.</p><p>Lucia wrapped her arms around his torso, hugging him. After a moment, she felt him return the gesture, his arms wrapping around her shoulders and her back. Alucard held her tightly, as if afraid she would disappear if he let go. He rested his chin on the top of her head, and Lucia absently thought that he may have had to bend down to do it, given that he was about a half a foot taller than her.</p><p>“Oh my God. Sypha was right; I really am covered in blood,” Lucia murmured when they pulled back, after a long moment. Alucard’s shirt now had dark streaks across it where Lucia had hugged him, and she gingerly tried to brush them away with her hands. “I hope you were planning on taking a bath too.”</p><p>Alucard laughed in response. Lucia pulled back to look up at him, raising an eyebrow in confusion. It was possibly the first real laugh Lucia had heard from him; it was like warm sunlight on her face, ocean breezes combing through her hair in the summer, the wind chimes mamma kept over the door of their first home, and it was <em>infectious.</em> Lucia shook her head, joining in his laughter. When they finally paused, separating from their hug, Lucia turned and headed for the washroom.</p><hr/><p>Lucia slipped into the bath with a deep, satisfied sigh. She leaned her head back against the lip of the tub and felt the hot water begin to relax tired, aching muscles. She had gathered a bar of soap—which she had also used to scrub down her clothes and her boots before getting in the bath herself—and bottles that looked or smelled like they were hair cleansers and conditioners, curious to try them now that Alucard had mentioned them. She hummed quietly, closing her eyes for a moment.</p><p>In those quiet moments, the events of the last day finally caught up to her. Absently, Lucia reached for the bar of soap and began to scrub her body clean as her thoughts raced. <em>We really did it. We fought Dracula. He’s dead. His war on humanity is over and done. He’s dead, it’s finished, </em>she repeated internally as if that would make it seem more real. <em>And I found the others from Castilla. Fernando was not there with them, which in itself is concerning…But…</em></p><p>“I found them…I found them, and I killed them…I did it, mamma,” Lucia murmured, her voice breaking as her eyes welled with tears. “I’ve had my vengeance; your death is avenged, just like I promised. You can rest now, in peace—”</p><p>Lucia’s words broke off with a sob. She brought one hand up to her face and blindly fumbled to put the bar of soap aside before burying her face in her hands, sinking lower into the bathtub. Emotions swirled and warred inside her, like storm clouds over the ocean. Pride; she had kept her promise to her mother. Lucia had travelled halfway across the world to avenge her death, and succeeded. Sharp, vindicated satisfaction, and a vague whisper of peace and reassurance; they would never hurt anyone else, any other family, like they did to her and her mother. And yet, the dull, aching grief that had once wounded her and stirred her to vengeful fury tore at her chest. Her mother was <em>gone.</em> The grief washed over Lucia all over again as she tried to muffle her sobbing in her hands.</p><p><em>She’s still gone, </em>she thought. <em>It still hurts. I avenged her death and I’ve had over a year to come to terms with the fact that she’s gone…but I’ll still never see her again. I’ll never hug her, or spar with her, or laugh with her and Tia Chiara in the kitchen on a lazy morning, she’ll never tell me stories about her brothers when they were children, or be there to remind me that I am more than just the mixture of hers and my father’s blood. That I am my own person and I get to choose what that means, who I am, who I want to be. She’ll never call me sunshine again. </em></p><p>“Ai, mamma…You told me once that your job was to make sure I could be on my own one day. You’ve done it, and I have the skills to be without you…But I don’t <em>want</em> to. I still miss you.” Lucia hiccuped, taking a shaky breath as she wiped her tears from her face. “What do I do now?” she murmured into the empty washroom.</p><p><em>Is this how Alucard feels? </em>Lucia wondered suddenly. <em>I would guess so. He lost his mother too…But, he was asleep under Gresit for the last year. It must still feel fresh for him, like it was only days ago. </em>Lucia remembered suddenly the angry, distraught, untethered mess she had been when her mother died, and made up her mind. <em>I’m staying here, </em>she thought. <em>He is my friend. I care about him. I cannot let him go through this alone. </em></p><p>Lucia took another deep, shuddering breath as she reached for the hair cleanser. It smelled pleasant, herbal, but the texture was strange as she poured some into her hands. Shrugging, she worked it through her hair, dunking her head under the water to rinse it. Wide-eyed, she ran her hands through her hair as she surfaced, murmuring to herself about how clean it felt. She glanced sideways at the other bottle, the conditioner Alucard had mentioned, before nearly lunging for it. It had a thicker consistency, and ran slippery through her hair, but it worked out any knots and tangles. Lucia’s eyes widened once more and she laughed in breathless surprise when the comb she had found ran smoothly through the length of her hair after she rinsed it again.</p><p>Finally stepping out of the bath and drying herself, Lucia smiled to find that her clothes had dried. Her boots, socks, and pants were all still in good shape. Her shirt, however, had seen much better days and was permanently stained despite Lucia’s best efforts at cleaning it. <em>I’ll have to replace it, </em>she thought absently as she wrung out her hair. She left it loose to finish drying, despite her sudden urge to sit down with a mirror and weave intricate braids into the soft, tangle-free locks. <em>As soon as I can get to the nearest town and get my hands on some fabric, I’ll make a new shirt for myself, </em>she decided as she left the washroom, wandering down towards the kitchen.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You certainly look like you’re feeling better.” Sypha’s voice sounded from behind Lucia as she walked through the hall.</p>
<p>“I do,” Lucia replied, turning to look at Sypha as she caught up to where Lucia was standing. “Physically, in any case. It feels much better to not be covered in blood.”</p>
<p>“Even if that shirt is irreparably stained?” Sypha teased, with a pointed look at Lucia’s shirt. Lucia smiled wryly.</p>
<p>“I can say I <em>tried </em>to salvage it. My cloak was down in the hold during all the fighting, so it was fine. I managed to save the pants, and my boots, which I’m glad for. I am rather attached to them…” Lucia trailed off, looking down at her boots and shifting her weight on her feet. “But you’re right; this shirt is finished and I will need to make myself new one.”</p>
<p>“Attached…to a pair of boots?” Sypha echoed, tilting her head curiously. “I have never heard of someone being emotionally invested in clothes.” Lucia snickered.</p>
<p>“My mother got them for me, a few years ago,” she said softly. “It’s strange, but...things she gave me seem…more meaningful now that she’s gone.”</p>
<p>“You had mentioned that you lost your mother,” Sypha said softly. Lucia hummed quietly as the two walked through the castle, back towards the entry hall.</p>
<p>“I did,” Lucia said. She bit her lip, looking desperately over at Sypha. <em>How much to say? How much can I bear to tell her without falling apart again? </em>Lucia wondered.</p>
<p>“Lucia?” Sypha asked after a moment, laying a hand on Lucia’s arm. Lucia glanced away, nodding to herself.</p>
<p>“I lost my mother about a year ago,” she began. “In the same viciously cruel way Alucard's mother was killed. And I—” Lucia broke off, stifling a sob. Sypha gently wrapped an arm around Lucia’s shoulders, and Lucia leaned into the embrace. “Sypha, I ran halfway across the world to hide from my grief, and having revenge is not what helped me the most. At some point you have to talk about it. Hell, I had someone to talk to and I still went on a revenge quest…” she trailed off, the thoughts she had sorted through in the bath still running through her mind. “I cannot imagine what Alucard must feel right now,” she murmured.</p>
<p>“I think, maybe, you are the only one of us who can,” Sypha replied quietly.</p>
<p>“This grief. You cannot do this grief by yourself,” Lucia said, shaking her head slightly. “You need someone to talk to. I can't imagine what I would have done if I'd gone through it alone. I don't know what you and Trevor were going to do after we killed Dracula but I think I'm going to stay. I have nowhere else to go, and I'm certainly in no shape to trek across Europe again, nor do I want to. And...I want to stay with Alucard…I cannot let him go through this by himself.”</p>
<p>There was a long pause in their conversation. Sypha and Lucia walked down the stairs into the entry hall of the castle, looking at each other in confusion before choosing a hallway to follow in search of the kitchen, where Alucard had asked them to gather once they were finished in the washrooms.</p>
<p>“I had not thought about how Alucard must feel right now,” Sypha said finally. Lucia knit her eyebrows, turning her head to look at Sypha. “Not like that. Not in the way that made me realize he would really be all alone when we left. You did, because you know how it feels. I’m glad you’re staying.”</p>
<p>“You and Trevor aren't leaving already, are you?” Lucia asked incredulously.</p>
<p>“No, now we won't leave for a few more days,” Sypha assured her. “But once we do...I'm glad he'll have you to talk to, once he feels like talking.” Lucia nodded, smiling at her. “Try not to drive each other mad, yeah?” Sypha added.</p>
<p>“I will make no such promise,” Lucia said, unable to keep from laughing in the face of the unamused and unimpressed look Sypha gave her.</p>
<p>“Besides,” Sypha drawled, looking mischievously at Lucia. Lucia raised an eyebrow at her, wary. “I’m not sure Alucard would want Trevor or me to stay right now.”</p>
<p>“And what is that supposed to mean?” Lucia asked, bemused.</p>
<p>“What? Nothing!” Sypha replied innocently. Lucia fixed her with a look. “Only that Alucard definitely likes you better than either of us. I mean, maybe it's because you're also half-vampire and half-human, and you two have more in common, but...” she trailed off, smirking just slightly.</p>
<p>“But?” Lucia prompted. <em>What the hell is she on about? </em>She thought, glancing sideways at Sypha.</p>
<p>“There's something about how he looks at you that makes me think some part of him would be glad <em>you</em> want to stay,” Sypha finished.</p>
<p>Lucia could have choked. If she had been eating or drinking anything, she swore she would have. She felt her eyes go wide, and she open and closed her mouth soundlessly. Sypha let out a clear, bell-like laugh, and Lucia shot a glare over at her.</p>
<p>“What was it like, growing up with just you and your mother?” Sypha asked after a moment.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Lucia responded, tilting her head slightly to one side.</p>
<p>“Well, I understand what it is to grow up travelling so much, but I was always surrounded by other Speakers, and there was always light and laughter,” Sypha explained. There was a warmth and fondness in her voice that made Lucia smile. “I can’t imagine only having one other person there with me. I imagine it must have been lonely.”</p>
<p>“It was <em>a little</em> lonely, sometimes. My mother and I were very close, but we moved so often that is was <em>difficult</em> to make friends…” Lucia admitted. “You know, that’s not what I thought you were going to ask.”</p>
<p>“What did you think I <em>would</em> ask?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“Something more along the lines of the strange physical quirks of what it’s like to grow up as half-human and half-vampire,” Lucia said. “There are very few people I have been close to who ever knew, but many of them were curious about dhampir physiology.”</p>
<p>“Dhampir?” Sypha echoed, raising her eyebrows. Lucia smiled.</p>
<p>“Alucard and I found a book in the Belmont hold that said the proper word for someone like us is dhampir,” Lucia explained. Sypha nodded, murmuring the word to herself a few times.</p>
<p>“Alucard did mention that he aged very quickly. Is the same true for you?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Yes…” Lucia trailed off, chuckling as a memory rose to the forefront of her mind. “There was a point where I had lost my baby-fangs before most of my other baby teeth, so I had adult fangs far too big for my mouth at…oh, I think I was seven or eight?”</p>
<p>“Baby-fangs? You mean to tell me you lost a pair of fangs like how people lose teeth as children and new teeth grow in their place?” Sypha asked, laughing breathlessly. Lucia nodded, still chuckling. “And they were too big for your mouth. That sounds <em>adorable.”</em></p>
<p>“Maybe,” Lucia conceded. “But I had an awful lisp for about a year.” The two walked through another hallway, into a section of the castle that looked more lived-in that what Lucia had seen so far. It felt a bit more like a home. Sypha peeked into a few doorways, making a triumphant noise at the end of a hallway, and beckoning Lucia over.</p>
<p>“It was difficult to hide them sometimes. Mamma would wrap a scarf around my face and tell people she did not want me to breathe plague air so I could avoid showing my fangs any time I spoke,” Lucia continued as she ducked into the kitchen. Wooden cabinets supported a stone countertop that ran along one two walls of the kitchen, leaving space for a small table and chairs. A metal box-like appliance was fitted in between a space in the counter on one wall, and Lucia furrowed her eyebrows at it. <em>Some sort of oven? </em>She guessed.</p>
<p>“Forgive me for eavesdropping,” Alucard said, appearing at the doorway opposite where Lucia and Sypha had entered, carrying a bottle of wine in one hand and precariously balancing four wine glasses in the other. He set the glasses and bottle on the table, turning to retrieve a plate of cheese, dried meat, and bread, placing it on the table as well. “However, I only heard half of what you just said, Lucia, and I find myself both confused and intrigued. Have a seat, and please elaborate?”</p>
<p>“I lost my baby-fangs at about seven years old, and trying to conceal my adult-sized fangs as a child was interesting to say the least,” Lucia explained, taking a seat. Alucard nodded, making a small sound of understanding. Sypha sat down opposite her, and Alucard stood at the head of the small table, opening the bottle of wine.</p>
<p>“None for me, thank you,” Sypha said politely when Alucard offered.</p>
<p>“I’ll drink her share,” Lucia teased. Alucard scoffed a short laugh, but poured a glass of wine for her anyway.</p>
<p>“Careful,” he said dryly. “You’re starting to sound like Belmont.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps. But the difference there is that <em>I </em>won’t get drunk,” Lucia replied.</p>
<p>“Where is Trevor?” Sypha asked after a few moments. Lucia shrugged, chewing a mouthful of food.</p>
<p>“Perhaps he got lost,” Alucard suggested with a sarcastic edge to his voice. Lucia rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>“Don’t make fun,” she said. “I got lost too.”</p>
<p>“And then she found me, and we got lost together!” Sypha added with a short laugh.</p>
<p>“And it’s not like you told us where the fucking kitchen was.” Trevor’s voice sounded behind Lucia, and she turned around to see him standing in the doorway.</p>
<p>“I thought I had,” Alucard said softly. “My apologies.” Trevor waved him off.</p>
<p>“Just tell me you saved me some food,” he said, approaching the table and sitting down.</p>
<p>“Of course, we did,” Alucard responded with an eye roll. “Lucia may have drunk all the wine, though.”</p>
<p>“There is no way in <em>hell</em> I drank all the wine that exists in this castle. I didn’t even finish the bottle by myself,” Lucia said with a pointed look at Alucard. He gave a weak smile in return.</p>
<p>Sypha piled food onto a plate and passed it to Trevor. The four of them ate in relative silence, the enormity of what they had done—and the looming question of what happened now—seemed to settle over them like dark storm clouds.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p><p>Also, I know I've got an M rating here and I've updated the tags...But we've got some slightly horny on main thoughts going on in this chapter just as a head's up for y'all!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Did you have any plans for today?” Trevor asked, falling into step beside Lucia as she wandered the castle, some time after breakfast. Lucia turned her head to look at him, shrugging one shoulder.</p><p>“I thought I might explore this place a bit, see if I could actually find my way around so I don’t get lost trying to find the kitchen again,” Lucia said. Trevor scoffed a laugh, and Lucia smirked. “I might go looking for the library. Hopefully there are some books up here in one of the languages I can actually <em>read.”</em></p><p>“And what languages would that be?” Trevor asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“Castellano—though, I think people are starting to simply call it Spanish—Italian, French, Hungarian, and Romanian—” Lucia was cut off when Trevor snickered.</p><p>“Obviously,” he said. Lucia nudged him gently with her elbow.</p><p>“I speak a little German and a little English, but mostly just to say I don’t speak those languages very well,” Lucia added.</p><p>“Well shit…” Trevor trailed off, letting out a low whistle. Lucia smirked, and Trevor threw an arm around her shoulders. “Anyway, since I’m not exactly the scholarly type, I was going to get outside for a bit.”</p><p>“You, not the scholarly type? I never would have guessed,” Lucia said, rolling her eyes playfully. Trevor scowled at her for a second.</p><p>“Fine then, I won’t ask you to spar with me,” he said. Lucia perked up immediately, whirling around to face him fully, and Trevor laughed. “Well that got your attention, didn’t it? Listen…I don’t know when we’ll see each other again after Sypha and I leave, and I’ve been itching to go for a round or two with you before we do. What do you say?”</p><p>“Let’s do it,” Lucia replied immediately, smiling brightly. Trevor nodded, and they both turned back down the hallway towards the main entrance of the castle.</p><p>"You know, I almost asked you to spar with me that day when we were down in the hold," Trevor said after walking in comfortable silence for a few minutes.</p><p>"Oh? What stopped you?" Lucia asked.</p><p>"God could you imagine what Sypha would have said?” Trevor asked, snickering. “She would have killed us.”</p><p>Outside the castle, it was a pleasant, sunny day. Lucia and Trevor stood a good distance apart, drawing their swords. Lucia circled him slowly for a moment, watching him as he mirrored her stance.</p><p>“Contact rules?” she asked. Trevor shrugged.</p><p>“Let’s not kick the shit out of each other,” he said. “But don’t <em>not </em>hit me…You know, if you get the chance.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” Lucia laughed.</p><p>“It is like that,” Trevor replied, smirking.</p><p>“Alright then, put your money where your shit-talking mouth is,” Lucia said, returning the smirk.</p><p>Trevor lunged forward at Lucia, thrusting with his sword. Lucia took a short step back to parry the strike, then stepped diagonally forward to get closer to Trevor. She glanced down quickly, taking a light jab at his ribs when she found them left unguarded. Trevor huffed and glanced sideways at her.</p><p>“It’s like that, then, huh?” he asked. Lucia smiled, shrugging one shoulder.</p><p>She quickly replaced her hand on her sword, needing the balance as Trevor pushed harder against the blade. Lucia pushed back, tapping into some of her heightened strength, and angled her blade down to disengage from Trevor’s. The backed apart, circling each other again, and Trevor scoffed at her as he righted himself on his feet.</p><p>“You never asked for a rule against using vampire powers,” Lucia pointed out.</p><p>“I should have,” Trevor muttered. Lucia laughed.</p><p>“Was that not the entire point of doing this?” she asked.</p><p>Trevor muttered something under his breath before attacking Lucia again. She blocked or parried a few of the strikes, though Trevor was able to drive her backwards. She blocked another strike, spinning under his arm, hitting him lightly with the flat of her blade to the stomach as she did, to let him know he would have gotten hit, before she took another step to put herself behind him. He spun around to face her again, swinging his sword in a wide arc that force Lucia backwards to dodge. He twirled the sword in his hands as the circled each other again, grinning.  </p><hr/><p>Sypha paused as she rounded a corner of one of the castle’s libraries, slightly surprised to find Alucard standing in the aisle, reading. Though Sypha was not sure if he was truly reading; he had a faraway look in his eyes. He had made himself rather scarce since the fight, keeping to himself except for meals. Sypha hummed to herself for a moment, before knocking lightly on the bookshelf to announce her presence, though she was certain Alucard knew she was there.</p><p>“Alucard?” Sypha called as she approached. Alucard turned his head to look at her. “Have you seen Lucia or Trevor around? I can’t seem to find them.”</p><p>“Are you certain they haven’t gotten lost again?” Alucard asked, the barest hint of a smile on his face. Sypha rolled her eyes.</p><p>“I have a little more faith in them than that,” she commented. “Well, I have a little more faith in Lucia.” Alucard gave a short chuckle, but put his book back on the shelf and turned to her.</p><p>“Shall I help you look for them, then?” he asked. “If you’re really worried.”</p><p>“Oh yes, terribly concerned,” Sypha replied, smiling playfully.</p><p>Alucard and Sypha became slightly concerned when they did not find Trevor and Lucia in the castle. They paused in the entry hall, considering going down into the Belmont Hold, when Alucard heard the ringing of steel from outside, and shook his head.</p><p>“I do believe I just found them,” he said, nodding towards the entrance. Sypha followed him outside and sure enough, they found Trevor and Lucia sparring on the grass with their swords.</p><p>“Oh! This should be fun to watch,” Sypha said, sitting down on the stairs. Alucard hummed absently, standing and leaning against the banister. He noted that, despite clearly having washed it, the shirt Lucia wore was still heavily stained with blood, and he frowned. <em>Does she not have another one? </em>He wondered. <em>Perhaps I’ll look through my own clothes tonight, I must have something that might fit her. </em></p><p>“Really, Belmont?” Alucard commented as he watched the two come to a stalemate with their swords, only for Trevor to aim a punch at Lucia’s ribs, distracting her long enough for Trevor to fan her blade away. “Show a little decorum. This isn’t a bar fight.”</p><p>“Are you just going to take that, Lucia?” Sypha asked indignantly. “Get him!”</p><p>“I’ll have you know Lucia has been fighting absolutely <em>filthy </em>this whole time!” Trevor called. “You just weren’t there to see it!”</p><p>Trevor had turned towards the stairs as he spoke, and Lucia grinned viciously before appearing behind him in a flash of red. Her free hand struck at the juncture between his shoulder and neck, and she kicked at the backs of his knees, shoving him forward into a kneel. He groaned, turning and slashing at her, but she danced out of his reach. Sypha cheered, laughing.</p><p>The two traded blows for a while. Sypha cheered them both on, leading to a teasing debate over whose side Sypha was on. Alucard remained mostly silent, watching, occasionally throwing a sarcastic comment at Trevor.</p><p>The two came to another stalemate, pushing against each other. Lucia hissed slightly, baring her teeth. Trevor rolled his eyes and in that split second, Lucia twisted her wrist, swinging her sword around in a wide arc to fan Trevor’s blade away. She also managed to knock it out of his hand, effectively disarming him. Trevor lifted his hands up in front of him, and Lucia turned her sword back to him, smirking victoriously. After a moment, Trevor charged at her, ducking under her blade and tackling her to the ground as she let out an indignant yelp.</p><p>“Honestly, Belmont, that is no way to treat a lady,” Alucard said, rolling his eyes and biting back a smirk. Sypha leaned over and shoved playfully at him. He chuckled, smiling.</p><p>“Fuck you!” Trevor yelled as Lucia shoved him off and rolled to her feet.</p><p>“This lady can handle herself very well, thank you!” Lucia added, ducking under a punch from Trevor and jabbing at his ribs.</p><p>“She started this fight anyway! And I <em>know </em>she’s holding back!” Trevor exclaimed, turning to narrow his eyes at Lucia. “You could really fuck me up, if you wanted to.”</p><p>“I could!” Lucia replied confidently. “But I don’t want to…Not right now, anyway.”</p><p><em>She is more than welcome to fuck me up however she likes, </em>a small, traitorous part of Alucard’s mind supplied. He blanched at the thought, feeling his face heat up. He glanced quickly over at Sypha, hoping she had not noticed his reaction. That small part of his mind whispered a few more things it was certain Lucia could do to him, and he shook his head to dislodge the thoughts. <em>What are you doing? Stop, </em>he told himself firmly, focusing back on watching his friends sparring. <em>Friends, that’s all. </em></p><p>Trevor and Lucia had forgone swords entirely, sparring hand-to-hand. Lucia was unabashedly using her abilities as a dhampir to her advantage, namely her speed. Trevor was holding his ground, however, as Alucard knew from personal experience he could. Lucia grabbed Trevor’s shoulder suddenly and shoved him off-balance, sweeping his legs out from under him.</p><p>As Trevor dropped to the ground, Lucia followed, quickly moving to straddle his torso and pin his arms above his head. Her hair, pulled back in one long braid, fell over her shoulder. From where Alucard stood, he could practically see the muscles in her arms, back, and her legs tense, flexing, as she kept Trevor pinned down. The memory of the night in the hold where she had curled into him in her sleep rose unbidden to the forefront of his mind. He recalled the feeling of toned muscle beneath her soft, warm skin, of her legs haphazardly thrown over and intertwined with his. <em>Is that how Belmont feels right now, pinned under her as he is? God, what I would give to be in his place, have her perched on top of me like that, pin me there, lace her fingers with mine, and—</em></p><p>“Oi! Alucard!” Trevor yelled. Alucard startled out of his thoughts, snapping his attention back to them. “I know you saw that, and it was the absolute definition of fighting dirty! You’re not going to bitch at her to have some class?”</p><p>“Just this once, I think I’ll allow it,” he replied. Trevor groaned, cursing under his breath. Lucia laughed, and Alucard felt himself blush again before he quickly turned and disappeared into the castle.  </p><hr/><p>Trevor yielded the sparring match when he could not free himself from being pinned down. Lucia laughed, moving off him and lying down on the grass. Trevor chuckled, stretching himself out.  Sypha hopped down the stairs and sat in the grass with them.</p><p>“That was fun,” Lucia said, grinning.</p><p>“Yeah, sure,” Trevor replied, smirking slightly. “What happened to Alucard? I thought he’d have some snide comment.”</p><p>“He must have gone back inside,” Sypha said, shrugging. Lucia hummed.</p><p>“What was it like, growing up here?” she asked after a moment, propping herself up on one elbow and turning to Trevor.</p><p>“It was…fine, I suppose. Being back now is strange. Lots of memories, but not just the bad ones,” Trevor replied.</p><p>“Oh?” Sypha raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly.</p><p>“I mean, I did <em>this</em>…” Trevor trailed off, gesturing between himself and Lucia. “…fairly often with my brother. And there was a spot out in the woods that way where we used to go. Mom would pack a picnic lunch and we’d all go out to this one spot by the river.”</p><p>“It sounds very nice,” Sypha commented.</p><p>“It was,” Trevor agreed. He sat up straight all of a sudden. “Actually, maybe I’ll show it to you before we leave. It’ll be good to know some of what’s around.”</p><p>“You say that like we could miss a river,” Lucia said, rolling her eyes before smiling at him. “But it does sound nice.”</p><p>“Tomorrow, then?” Sypha suggested. Trevor and Lucia murmured their agreement.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Sypha!” Trevor whispered harshly, reaching for her shoulder as he caught up to her in the hallway outside the bedrooms they had been using.</p>
<p>“What?” Sypha asked, turning to shoot him an annoyed look. “I was about to go to bed. Do you have any idea what time of night it is—?”</p>
<p>“I know, I know,” Trevor interrupted, waving his free hand absently. “But…Do you think you could help me get down into the hold?”</p>
<p>“Now?” Sypha asked incredulously. She studied him for a moment, narrowing her bright blue eyes. “Why?”</p>
<p>“Well I can’t exactly get down there without help,” Trevor replied sarcastically, folding his arms over his chest. Sypha rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>“I <em>meant</em>…What are you looking for?” she asked.</p>
<p>“There’s histories and information about other monster-hunting families in the hold,” Trevor explained. “I’m looking for the crest on Lucia’s weapons.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you think she would have told us about it if she wanted us to know?” Sypha replied, raising an eyebrow.  </p>
<p>“Maybe. But aren’t you a little curious?” Trevor asked. Sypha pursed her lips, and Trevor smirked slightly, nudging her arm with his elbow. “Besides…I’m not sure she knows much about her mother’s family. It seems like they wanted nothing to do with her mother after they found out she was going to have a dhampir child. I don’t think Lucia knows most of them…I thought it’d be a nice thing, to give her some sort of connection to them, right?”</p>
<p>“Trevor Belmont have you learned how to be nice?” Sypha teased.</p>
<p>“I’ve always been nice!” Trevor defended.</p>
<p>“Oh yes! It’s just that everyone <em>else </em>is a horrible piece of shit, as you so eloquently put it,” Sypha responded, rolling her eyes. Trevor sighed, running a hand down his face.</p>
<p>“But yes, I’m doing a nice thing for a friend,” he said. “No need to be dramatic about it. Are you going to help me or what?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m definitely going to help you!” Sypha exclaimed, smiling brightly and elbowing at Trevor. “You think I’m not, after you got me invested in it? No. In fact, I’m coming with you. Let’s go!”</p>
<p>Trevor hummed quietly as he walked among the rows of shelves in the Belmont Hold. This part of the library he remembered well. His father had sat down here with him, told him about other families, other people like them, who fought the creatures of the night in different places in the world. Trevor had sat up many nights with a small candle, studying the house colors and crests of other families; he hadn’t wanted to offend someone by not recognizing them if he ever came across them.</p>
<p><em>Fat lot of good it does me now, when I can’t remember where the crest on Lucia’s daggers is from, </em>Trevor thought, rolling his eyes at himself as he leaned close to the shelf to read the spines of the books there.</p>
<p>“What exactly are we looking for?” Sypha asked next to him.</p>
<p>“Uh, if you can find a book with drawings of family crests, it’d be a good place to start,” Trevor replied. “I know there’s one down here somewhere—ah!” he grinned, pulling the book he had been looking for down from the shelf. Sypha tilted her head, moving to read over Trevor’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Family crests,” she echoed. “But who are these families?”</p>
<p>“Others like the Belmonts,” Trevor explained. “Other monster-hunting clans, mostly from all over Europe, but I think there are a few in here from other places all over the world as well…It was always…good, I suppose, to know who potential allies were.”</p>
<p>“And you’re sure Lucia’s mother is from one of these families?” Sypha asked. “I know she mentioned her mother came from a family of monster-hunters, but are you sure we’ll we be able to find the family here?”</p>
<p>“I am.” Trevor nodded. “I recognized the crest on her daggers, I know I did. It’s laid in silver—though obviously it’s not in silver on Lucia’s weapons—on a dark red background. There’s an eagle or hawk or something across the top of the shield, these star-like flowers…” Trevor trailed off, flipping through pages in the book.</p>
<p>“There! Savona!” Sypha exclaimed suddenly, catching Trevor’s wrist to keep him from turning the page. She pointed to one of the drawings; a hawk with its wings outstretched across the top of the family’s crest, a looping, ribboning pattern interwoven with almost star-shaped flowers.  Trevor let out a low whistle, studying the crest.</p>
<p>“The Savonas are almost as old as the Belmonts,” he whispered. “Originally from the city of Florence, like Lucia told us, but they tend to protect most of that whole Italic League region.”</p>
<p>“You said there were family histories down here too,” Sypha said. “Is there one for the Savona family?”</p>
<p>Sypha did not wait for an answer, murmuring to herself and walking down the aisle, back towards the lectern. Trevor hummed, putting the book back and beginning to search the shelves nearby. Sypha reappeared a moment later, waving excitedly for Trevor’s attention and pulling him down the next aisle.</p>
<p>“Here! I found it!” she exclaimed, reaching for a book on the shelf that was almost too high for her to reach. Trevor snickered and Sypha whirled around to swat him on the arm. She pulled down a book that was bound in dark red leather, with the Savona family crest emblazoned on the front cover.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Trevor agreed, looking over Sypha’s shoulder as she read. “That’s it.”</p>
<p>“It’s a family history going all the way back to the late eleventh century. And a…fairly detailed family tree starting there as well,” she explained.</p>
<p>“Late eleventh century, that’s…just after Leon Belmont came to Wallachia. Damn, they really are almost as old as the Belmonts. Wait!” Trevor said, stopping Sypha from turning the page and looking at the most recent additions to the family tree. “Look here. These people were all born in the 1420s. They would be Lucia’s aunts and uncles.”</p>
<p>“And her mother,” Sypha added quietly. She narrowed her eyes at the page, tracing a line slashed through one of the brackets on the family tree that led to one of the daughters of the latest generation of Savonas, Julia, and a short note that her parents had disowned her. “What happened here?”</p>
<p>“I…I don’t know,” Trevor replied earnestly. “Lucia might, if we asked her—” he cut off when Sypha shot him a look. “—or not! But…I think she would want to see this.” Sypha nodded, closing the book and handing it to Trevor. He tucked it into his cloak, intent on bringing it back up to the castle with them.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Lucia?” Alucard called, hesitantly knocking on the door of the bedroom Lucia had been using. He bit his bottom lip, curling his fist tighter around the shirt he held. He had gone through his clothes and found a shirt he hoped would fit Lucia. “A word, if I may?”</p>
<p>“Come in!” she replied.</p>
<p>Alucard nodded once to himself, pushing the door open. Opposite the door was a window, which Lucia must have opened, as the curtains swayed in the cool breeze coming in from it. A small chest of drawers stood against the wall by the door, and a night table was beside the bed, piled with books Lucia must have taken from the library. Her sword belt and daggers lay on top of a trunk at the foot of the bed, and she had taken off her boots and laid them next to said trunk.</p>
<p>Lucia herself lay on the bed on her stomach, propped up on her elbows, reading. She looked up at Alucard when he entered the room, smiling. A lock of dark, wavy hair fell into her face with the movement, and Alucard wanted nothing more in that moment than to brush it aside and tuck it behind her ear.</p>
<p>“You wanted to have a word with me?” she asked, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.</p>
<p>“Yes. I…thought you might appreciate a shirt that was <em>not</em> irreparably stained with demon blood,” Alucard replied, smiling slightly. Lucia’s gaze flickered down to his hands, then back up to lock eyes with him.</p>
<p>“Oh! You didn’t have to…” she trailed off, standing. “I was going to go into town in a day or so, get some fabric to make myself another one—”</p>
<p>“I wanted to!” Alucard said quickly. “It seemed…pointless…to have you go to such trouble, or to lose a shirt, when I have more than one to spare.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied, smiling as she took the shirt from him.</p>
<p>“It was no trouble at all,” Alucard said, inclining his head and returning the smile. Lucia glanced between Alucard and the shirt in her hands thoughtfully. Alucard furrowed his eyebrows, only for her to tuck the shirt between her knees, cross her arms over her torso, grabbing the shirt she wore, and spin to face away from him, pulling the shirt over her head in one fluid motion.</p>
<p>Alucard blanched, making an almost choking sound in the back of his throat. He felt himself blush—particularly as Lucia pulled her hair over her shoulder and Alucard caught a glimpse of the white linen cloth she had wrapped around her chest—and part of his mind screamed at him to look away. Another part of his mind mused on how lovely it was certain Lucia would look wearing his clothes. Alucard found himself letting his eyes wander. He found himself wanting to reach out to Lucia and run his hands over her shoulders, her back, let them settle at her waist as he gently tugged her back to him, so he could feel her warmth against his chest and bury his nose in her hair.</p>
<p>Alucard shook himself mentally, finally forcing himself to avert his eyes. Just as he did, he noticed suddenly a long scar across Lucia’s back. A long, pale scar stretched from her right shoulder blade to her left hip; it looked like a cut from a blade, but the edges were slightly blurred and blotchy, like those of a burn. <em>What happened to you? </em>Alucard thought, eyebrows furrowing as a pang of sorrow lanced through his chest and he sucked in a breath. <em>Who did this? </em></p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia froze as she heard Alucard gasp softly. She twisted her face, dropping her head to her chest for a moment before quickly putting on the shirt he had lent her and pulling the laces in the front closed. The neckline was still cut a little low for her, and the shirt slipped off one shoulder as she whirled back around to face Alucard.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Lucia smiled sheepishly, pulling the shirt back up her shoulder and fussing slightly with the too-long sleeves. “I’m used to sharing space with people, and being a bit…casual about undressing or changing.”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Alucard replied quickly, looking up to her face again. His golden-yellow eyes seemed to shine in the candlelight of the room, pinning Lucia to her spot.</p>
<p>“I…understand if you do not wish to talk about it, but…May I ask what happened to…?” He trailed off, gesturing slightly with one hand.</p>
<p>“The scar?” Lucia asked. Alucard nodded, his face turning a light pink. Lucia nodded, pursing her lips as the memory rose to her mind of a pale, cloudy dawn, and three humans who were self-declared vampire hunters stopping her as she travelled, of a blade forged in steel but later coated with silver. <em>It’s in the past</em>, Lucia thought. <em>It cannot hurt you anymore. </em></p>
<p>“I got in a fight, with a couple of vampire hunters,” Lucia said haltingly. “One of them had this sword that was coated with silver. It cut like a blade, obviously, but…it also burned.” Alucard sucked in another breath, and Lucia grimaced.</p>
<p>“I am…so sorry,” Alucard said softly, worry in his golden eyes. Alucard reached hesitantly for her. “Does it hurt you ever? We may be able to—My father kept extensive medical records and knowledge, that is. He…taught my mother, you see. In any case, there should be something in the castle if—”</p>
<p>“It doesn’t bother me,” Lucia said. “But thank you. It’s very kind of you to offer. And for the shirt, thanks for that too.”</p>
<p>“Even if it doesn’t quite fit?” Alucard asked, snickering slightly as Lucia huffed and adjusted the collar of the shirt again.</p>
<p>“It’s not funny!” She exclaimed in a mock-serious tone, pointing at him with one hand. The long sleeves of the shirt flapped as she did, and she dissolved into giggles. Alucard chuckled. “You…don’t need this back, do you?”</p>
<p>“Keep it,” Alucard said. “It’s yours.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied earnestly, sighing in relief and rolling the sleeves of the shirt up to her elbows. “Because it is <em>clearly</em> too big for me, and I would like to alter it to fit better.”</p>
<p>“Be my guest,” Alucard said, smiling. Lucia nodded, smiling brightly back at him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“My father taught us all how to swim in this river,” Trevor explained, leading Sypha, Alucard, and Lucia to a small clearing in the forest outside the castle. The river in question ran alongside the clearing, an ideal spot for the four of them to sit and eat the lunch Sypha had insisted on packing.</p>
<p>“All of you?” Lucia asked, sitting down in the grass next to Sypha, reaching to help her with the food.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Trevor said softly, nodding as he sat and leaned back on his arms, stretching his legs out in front of him. Alucard sat gracefully nearby, facing the river. “There were four of us; Loretta was the oldest, then my brother Markus, then me, and Stacia was the baby.”</p>
<p>“You must have had some adventures together,” Sypha said, smiling. Trevor chuckled, shaking his head slightly.</p>
<p>“Oh, we did,” he replied. He sat up suddenly, pointing out a large, tall oak tree. “Markus taught me how to climb trees here. Right here, in that tree. Yes, that big, fuck-off tree right there—”</p>
<p>Trevor cut off when Lucia laughed, bringing one hand up to cover her mouth as she did. Sypha swatted at her arm, snickering. Alucard rolled his eyes, but Lucia thought she saw a hint of a smile on his lips as he reached for the dried meat and cheese Sypha had brought.</p>
<p>“No! It’s alright! Go ahead and laugh,” Trevor said, smirking. “Markus was a very good older brother…By which I mean he was absolutely an asshole sometimes.”</p>
<p>“Must run in the family,” Alucard said dryly.</p>
<p>“Fuck off,” Trevor replied, rolling his eyes in Alucard’s direction and flipping him off. Alucard returned the gesture. Lucia scoffed a short laugh, glancing at Sypha, who looked unamused at them.</p>
<p>“What was it like to grow up with siblings?” Lucia wondered aloud. <em>What must it be like to have so many other people around all the time? It was only ever mama and me. And Tia Chiara, when we moved in with her, </em>she thought, shifting slightly in her seat and looking away. “I…never had anyone, save for my mother.”</p>
<p>“It was…” Trevor trailed off, looking thoughtful. “A bit chaotic, with all of us, and especially all of us so close in age. Loretta and Markus were a year apart. But then there were three years between Markus and I, and two between me and Stacia. We were a bit of a handful, I’ll admit. But…no one was ever lonely in that house.” Trevor said nothing for a long moment, reaching for the bottle of wine Lucia had packed in the lunch basket.</p>
<p>“It sounds very nice. A bit like how I grew up. I never had siblings like that, but I grew up with the other children in our caravan, and even though people came and went fairly often, we were very close,” Sypha said. “Though I can’t say I know what it’s like to be rambunctious children. I was always very well-behaved.”</p>
<p>“Bullshit,” Trevor snickered. “You were definitely a troublemaker.”</p>
<p>“I was not!” Sypha exclaimed with a grin. Lucia laughed, glancing at Alucard, who looked back and forth between Trevor and Sypha with an amused look.</p>
<p>“I was a mostly well-behaved child,” Lucia said.</p>
<p>“Dhampir children tend to age very quickly,” Alucard added, looking thoughtfully at Lucia. “It’s likely you were more mature than many of your peers.”</p>
<p>“Now <em>that </em>I believe,” Trevor said, taking another drink from his glass of wine. “Oh god, we used to drive Mama nuts.”</p>
<p>“I’m not surprised,” Alucard responded. Trevor flipped him off again.</p>
<p>“There was one time…” Trevor trailed off, snickering. “One time, Stacia and I found three stray kittens somewhere out here, and we brought them home. Mama was <em>not </em>amused, and she didn’t want to let us keep them. Funny, though, because a few years later we joked that Silver was Mama’s favorite kid.”</p>
<p>“You named the cat Silver?” Lucia asked, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“I did not!” Trevor defended. “Stacia did. She was a little, gray kitten, so Stacia named her Silver. Loretta was the one with a wicked enough sense of humor to name one of the others Garlic, though. Markus and I thought it only seemed fitting that the last one be called Cross.”</p>
<p>“Really, Belmont?” Alucard asked flatly, raising one eyebrow. Trevor bristled.</p>
<p>“I—You know what? In my defense, I was eight,” he said.</p>
<p>“When I was eight—” Alucard started.</p>
<p>“When you were eight, you were mentally, like, eleven. What with you weird, half-vampire aging,” Trevor interrupted, waving a hand vaguely between him and Lucia. “Doesn’t count.”</p>
<p>“Alright,” Trevor drawled after a moment. “Alright, I’m about to tell you all something highly embarrassing. Against my better judgement, I trust you.”</p>
<p>“A truly terrible decision,” Alucard said, smirking just slightly. Sypha leaned over Lucia to swat at Alucard’s arm.</p>
<p>“Hush! I want to hear what it is!” Lucia laughed.</p>
<p>“If this leaves the four of us, I will not hesitate to kick your asses, got it?” Trevor asked, glancing at them, giving Alucard a pointed look. Alucard inclined his head slightly. “This scar, over my eye? I got it from Garlic…Uh, the cat. Markus—who I’ve already mentioned was sometimes an asshole, as older brothers are sometimes—told me one day when I was ten that Garlic had gotten dirty outside, so I should give him a bath.”</p>
<p>“You did not!” Sypha exclaimed, stifling a giggle behind her hand.</p>
<p>“I was ten, and a fool,” Trevor said. “So yes, I did.”</p>
<p>Sypha dissolved into giggles immediately. Lucia bit her bottom lip, fangs digging into the skin slightly as she tried not to laugh. Alucard gave an uncharacteristic and undignified snort as he attempted to stifle his laughter. He made the mistake of making eye contact with Sypha, however, and began laughing uproariously, ducking his head, hair falling into his face. Lucia laughed loudly, partially due to Sypha and Alucard’s reactions. She pressed the heel of her palm to her mouth, giving Trevor and apologetic look even as she continued to laugh. Trevor rolled his eyes, mumbling under his breath at them.  </p>
<p>“So, how do you tell people you got that scar, then?” Alucard asked once he caught his breath.</p>
<p>“First of all, fuck you,” Trevor replied. “Secondly, I make up something new every time someone asks.”  </p>
<p>“What was the most recent one?” Alucard insisted, rolling his eyes slightly. Trevor muttered under his breath, shifting where he sat and blushing slightly.</p>
<p>“I said it was from a jealous ex-lover, whom I had accidentally cucked,” Trevor said. “I was…<em>blindingly</em> drunk at the time.”</p>
<p>“How does that even—?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“You know what? I don’t want to know,” Lucia interrupted.</p>
<p>“Anyway! I have talked way too fucking much about myself. What about the rest of you lot? Any ridiculous house pet stories from the rest of you?” Trevor asked, glancing at the others.</p>
<p>“We never kept pets,” Sypha said, shaking her head, her short reddish hair falling into her face.</p>
<p>“I never did either. The butchers in villages I lived in usually had dogs who would sit outside the shop, hoping people would feed them. They always liked me,” Lucia said, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>“I’m guessing you always fed them?” Sypha asked. Lucia snickered, nodding.</p>
<p>“Bakery cats were hit and miss,” she added. “I worked in one bakery with a resident cat who was a particularly grumpy and irritable bastard who hated us all. But! The butchers’ dogs always liked me.”</p>
<p>“Why did the bakeries have cats?” Alucard asked.</p>
<p>“Usually to control the mice,” Trevor said absently, turning to face Lucia. “Where did you get food to feed the butchers’ dogs all the time?”</p>
<p>“I…hunted for butchers relatively often. They paid fairly well for game, and didn’t ask questions when I brought back ten-point stags already bled out and sometimes gutted for them,” Lucia replied. She shifted uncomfortably, toying with a loose strand of her hair.</p>
<p>There was a comfortable pause in conversation. The group ate quietly, relaxing in the pleasant, sunny afternoon. Lucia took a moment to lean back against the grass, turning her head to the side, noting the small patches of wildflowers growing in the clearing. She smiled, humming contently. Sypha must have had a similar idea, as she leaned over to a patch of wildflowers, plucking a few and looking thoughtfully between the flowers she idly twirled in her hand and Lucia. Lucia tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“These would look nice in your hair, don’t you think, Lucia?” Sypha asked, smiling. Lucia returned the smile, nodding as she sat up.</p>
<p>“I can braid them in and we can find out,” Lucia offered.</p>
<p>“Would you let me do it?” Sypha asked. “Most Speaker women keep our hair short for our safety when we travel. I never got to braid someone’s hair very often, but I like to when I can. May I?”</p>
<p>“Of course!” Lucia replied.</p>
<p>Sypha grinned, gesturing excitedly for Lucia to sit in front of her. Lucia happily obliged, sitting cross-legged in the grass while Sypha knelt behind her, slowly carding her hands through Lucia’s hair to work out any tangles. Lucia hummed contently, letting her eyes flutter closed.</p>
<p>“I’m not putting flowers in your hair,” Trevor said. Lucia snickered, opening her eyes to watch Alucard and Trevor glare at each other.</p>
<p>“I would strongly suggest against trying if you like having hands,” Alucard replied.</p>
<p>“I could do it for both of you, once Sypha’s finished with me,” Lucia offered, smiling. Trevor made a face at her, which Lucia returned. Alucard blushed a faint pink, shaking his head slightly. “You know…I’m usually on the other side of this,” Lucia mused.</p>
<p>“Oh?” Alucard asked, tilting his head slightly as he turned to look at her.</p>
<p>“How so?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“I’ve done a lot of different jobs, since Mama and I traveled so much,” Lucia explained. “A lot of them were work as a ladies’ maid where I did all the hairdressing for whatever Lady I was working for.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to imagine you as someone’s maid,” Sypha commented.</p>
<p>“Or wearing a dress, for that matter,” Trevor added.</p>
<p>“I’ll have you know I wore a lot of dresses!” Lucia exclaimed, laughing. “Though I’ve always preferred wearing pants when I could. Much easier to move around in….and infinitely more practical for fighting.”</p>
<p>“But can’t you have a dress that has pockets for stuff?” Trevor asked, furrowing his eyebrows. “I would have sworn my sister Loretta once fit a whole loaf of bread in a pocket on the side of her dress.”</p>
<p>“Oh! That’s entirely possible, yes,” Lucia replied, grinning.</p>
<p>“What?” Alucard asked, furrowing his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“You can sew pockets into a dress that can fit entire loaves of bread in them and it won’t even look like you have pockets to hold something in. I usually go shopping in town wearing a dress like that so I have the pockets,” Lucia said. “I may or may not have apprenticed with a seamstress in Venice for a year or so.”</p>
<p>“You are full of surprises, Lucia,” Sypha said, laughing, as she tied off Lucia’s braid, draping it over her shoulder with a flourish. Lucia laughed softly, looking down at the purple, blue, and orange wildflowers intertwined with the braid Sypha had put in her hair.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia heard Trevor approach the sitting room long before she saw him. It was late at night, yet Lucia was still awake, sitting on a sofa in one of the sitting rooms, listening to the soft crackling of the fire as she read a book she had taken from the library. It was an Old English epic poem—one that had been translated into Italian, which Lucia was eternally grateful for—that told of an embattled king struggling to protect his people from a rogue demon, and a warrior appearing from across the sea to kill the beast and repay a debt. Trevor’s footsteps moved around the sofa and she looked up to see him standing idly in front of her.</p>
<p>“Aw, you took the flowers out?” he asked, nodding towards her hair. Lucia smiled softly.</p>
<p>“I put them in a bowl with some water on the kitchen table,” she said.</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sure Alucard will love that,” Trevor commented, rolling his eyes slightly and sitting heavily of the sofa near Lucia.</p>
<p>“He might. It’ll make this place feel a little more like someone’s actually living here again,” Lucia mused, shrugging one shoulder. “You’re up late.”</p>
<p>“So are you,” Trevor retorted. Lucia rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>“I don’t need as much sleep as you,” she said. Lucia looked over at Trevor and found him idly toying with the hem of his shirt, looking slightly nervous. Lucia furrowed her eyebrows. <em>Nervous is not something I’ve ever seen on him before, </em>she thought. “Is…something bothering you?”  </p>
<p>“Alright, you got me,” Trevor said, smirking slightly and putting his hands up in a placating gesture. Lucia scoffed a laugh, raising an eyebrow at him. He pulled a face before he continued. “I…went back down into the hold yesterday. Sypha helped me. But…we found something I thought you might want to see.”</p>
<p>“What does that mean?” Lucia asked, furrowing her eyebrows and setting her book aside. She sat up straighter and turned fully towards Trevor. Trevor said nothing, but produced a small book that had been tucked into his belt, bound in dark red leather. He turned it over in his hands and Lucia gasped upon recognizing the Savona family crest on the cover of the book. “What—?”</p>
<p>“I knew I recognized the crest on your weapons from somewhere,” Trevor explained quickly. “And there were drawings of other family crests in a book in the hold, and information and history about other monster-hunting families like the Belmonts. I…used to study them, with my dad, but that’s not the point.”</p>
<p>Trevor smiled sheepishly, handing the book to Lucia. Lucia made a small sound in the back of her throat, slowly taking the book from him. She studied it for a moment, slowly running her fingers across the cover. <em>A whole family history? Trevor…went looking for this, for me? </em>She wondered, hesitantly opening the book, skimming the first few pages that detailed how Luzio Savona had established himself as a monster-hunter in Florence after losing his family in the war, and a family tree began in the late eleventh century with him and his descendants. Lucia gave a soft, shocked laugh as she read.</p>
<p>“What?” Trevor asked.</p>
<p>“The first known ancestor listed here was named Luzio,” she said softly, looking up at Trevor with wide eyes. Trevor smiled.</p>
<p>“See? Your name has some important family history,” he said, reaching over to nudge her arm. Lucia murmured under her breath, blinking as she felt a few tears fall from her face. Trevor moved closer to her on the sofa, draping an arm over her shoulders.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Trevor,” Lucia whispered, reaching to wipe the tears from her face with the sleeve of her shirt. “Thank you so much.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” Trevor replied, smiling slightly and pulling Lucia into a side-hug. Lucia leaned into the touch, resting her head on Trevor’s shoulder. “I just…figured you would want to have some sort of connection to this part of your family. I’m glad I could help.”</p>
<p>Lucia murmured her thanks, nestling closer into Trevor’s side. There was a long pause. Lucia continued to read through the family history, leaning on Trevor’s shoulder. She let out a soft, almost inaudible gasp when she reached the latest generation of the family. <em>Mama’s there!</em> <em>Mama, and Tia Chiara, and their other sister and their brothers, </em>she thought, feeling tears well in her eyes again. Trevor squeezed her shoulder.</p>
<p>“I-uh…I had a question about this bit, actually,” Trevor said, smiling sheepishly. Lucia sniffled quietly, turning to face him.</p>
<p>“I don’t know how many answers I’ll have,” she replied. Trevor shrugged one shoulder.</p>
<p>“I know. I know you didn't know most of your family, but...” Trevor leaned forward, pointing out Julia’s name on the family tree, drawing Lucia’s attention to the accompanying note that said her parents had disowned her. Lucia winced, hoping Trevor did not see it. “The youngest daughter, Julia, was...apparently disowned in 1454. But the book doesn't say what went down and I am occasionally a nosy bastard. Do you...happen to know what happened in 1454 that she was disowned for?”</p>
<p>Lucia bit her bottom lip and nodded slightly, her face twisting into a grimace. <em>It was me. She had me, that’s why her parents threw her out, </em>she thought. Lucia fought back another wave of tears, taking a deep, shaky breath. Trevor muttered something under his breath, pulling Lucia into a hug, slowly rubbing circles on her back as Lucia started to cry.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” he mumbled after a moment, when Lucia’s tears had subsided to occasional hiccupping cries. Lucia shook her head, pulling back.</p>
<p>“Julia was my mother,” she explained. “I was born in 1454. I <em>think</em> that about answers your question.”</p>
<p>“<em>Shit,</em>” Trevor swore. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”</p>
<p>“There’s no way you would have, don’t worry about it,” Lucia assured him.</p>
<p>“Yeah but still…<em>Shit,</em> Lucia.” Trevor shook his head.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that sums it up rather nicely,” Lucia said dryly. “But…yeah. My mother’s parents disowned her after she had me….” She trailed off, grimacing as she looked to Trevor. <em>He already knows we spent most of my childhood moving from place to place, he’s done a lot of that himself, </em>she told herself as she debated how much to say to him. “We bounced around western Europe for the entirety of my childhood, with nowhere safe to go when…When my asshole father’s political rivals occasionally came after us.”</p>
<p>“Wait <em>what?” </em>Trevor asked, his eyebrows flying up. Lucia made a face.</p>
<p>“From what I hear, <em>Castilla </em>and the surrounding regions are more or less united now and people are starting to refer to the whole area as Spain, but they weren’t always. And as there were regional leaders for humans, there were for vampires in the area as well. They fought a lot. Fernando Terrazas was the regional ruler of <em>Castilla </em>for a long time, and apparently tried very hard to unite the whole region under his rule. He didn’t make a lot of friends,” Lucia explained.</p>
<p>“No shit,” Trevor said. Lucia scoffed a laugh. Trevor grimaced and patted Lucia’s shoulder awkwardly.</p>
<p>“Someone must have gotten word that my father had a past romantic relationship with a human and sent night creatures to kill her. And then some of them found out about me and they tried again, a few times over the years. I'm not sure if it got back to Fernando about me…” Lucia trailed off, shaking head slightly. “Of course, I was a kid so my mom never told me any of this at the time. I found out from my aunt after...after my mom died. Which was also perpetrated by vampire politics because people wanted to push my father to join Dracula's war...So they had my mother killed by the Church for witchcraft, Fernando must have lost his shit, and they came to Wallachia.”</p>
<p>“Yeah I remember,” Trevor muttered.  “You stabbed him through the heart when we came to fight Dracula.”</p>
<p>“That wasn't my father,” Lucia said, shaking her head.</p>
<p>“It wasn't?” Trevor asked, furrowing his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“No.” Lucia shook her head. “That was one of his…supposed advisers. One of the ones who must have told the church my mother was a witch. My father wasn't...He wasn't <em>here</em> when we came to fight Dracula.”</p>
<p>“Well fuck,” Trevor said. “Lucia, I…Listen, I’m bad at the whole talking about feelings thing.”</p>
<p>“Are you?” Lucia asked softly, giving an amused half-smile. Trevor made a face, nudging her with his elbow.</p>
<p>“Shut the fuck up, I’m trying to be sincere over here,” he said. “I’m bad at the feelings thing. But what you’ve had to go through is…incredibly fucked up. Your father’s a bastard, so are the people he worked with, and I’m sorry they made such a fucking mess for you and your mom.”</p>
<p>“Thanks,” Lucia murmured. “Really. Thank you, for…all of this.” She leaned forward, hugging Trevor again.</p>
<p>“Of course. What else are friends for if not making fun of you at every possible opportunity, but also doing nice shit for you too?” Trevor asked, hugging Lucia tightly. Lucia gave a soft, watery laugh at that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia sat in the library, in a seat built into one of the large windows, the book she had been reading in her lap. The words drifted out of focus as Lucia remembered the conversation she had with Trevor two nights ago. <em>Fernando wasn’t here when we came to fight Dracula. He wasn’t here. </em>The words bounced around Lucia’s mind, and she frowned. She ran her hands through her hair, staring down at the book—<em>Beowulf</em>—but unable to focus on the words as her mind reeled. <em>What happened to him? Where is he now? What is he doing and does it have to do with why Dracula’s generals looked like they were fighting among themselves when we came in? </em>she wondered.</p>
<p>A sudden knock on one of the bookshelves nearby startled Lucia from her thoughts. She whirled her head to look towards the sound, finding Alucard standing in the aisle, watching her with an uncertain expression on his face. Lucia smiled slightly at him, turning to swing her legs over the side of the window seat, gently setting the book aside.</p>
<p>“Trevor and Sypha are…nearly ready to leave,” Alucard said quietly. “I thought you would be with them, and when you weren’t I…thought you would want to know that they will be ready soon.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied, nodding as she hopped down from the seat and walked over to Alucard. “I’ll come down so I can say good-bye to them.”</p>
<p>“To…them?” Alucard echoed, tilting his head slightly, looking at her with wide-eyed confusion.</p>
<p>“Yes?” Lucia said, knitting her eyebrows. <em>Oh. He thinks I’m leaving with them, </em>Lucia realized suddenly.</p>
<p>“I…thought you meant to leave with them,” Alucard said softly, looking down.</p>
<p>“I…I was going to stay here, if you would have me. If it’s alright with you…” Lucia trailed off, pursing her lips. “I have nowhere else to go.”</p>
<p>“Of course!” Alucard replied immediately, his head snapping up so he could look into Lucia’s eyes, searching her face. He bristled slightly, hesitating for a moment. “I—you are more than welcome to stay here.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied, smiling.</p>
<p>Alucard’s eyes were glassy when Lucia looked up at him, and he seemed stunned, overwhelmed. Lucia knit her eyebrows, stepping closer, carefully laying a hand on his arm at the elbow. Lucia opened her mouth as if to say something, but the words died on her lips when Alucard turned to look at her, fangs biting slightly into his lower lip. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes showed a turbulent mixture of grief, confusion, relief, and surprise. <em>Oh no, </em>Lucia thought. <em>Oh god, he…He really expected to be all alone. </em></p>
<p>“I’m not going anywhere,” Lucia murmured, hesitantly stepping forward to hug Alucard. He froze for a moment, and Lucia nearly pulled away before he wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head.</p>
<p>“I’m not leaving you. I…never really wanted to,” she said quietly, pulling back to look up at him.</p>
<p>Alucard nodded slightly, his eyes flickering down to Lucia’s lips before meeting her eyes again, blushing faintly. Lucia smirked, but froze for a moment when he gently raised a hand to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. His eyes dropped to her lips once more and he leaned in, pausing uncertainly. Lucia braced her hands on his chest, pulling herself up onto her toes to kiss him. Alucard made a small, muffled sound, but cupped Lucia’s cheek with one hand and returned the kiss. His lips were just as soft as Lucia imagined, if slightly chapped. The kiss was quick, gentle, but Lucia still found herself breathless as she pulled back from Alucard.</p>
<p>“I’m not going anywhere,” she murmured. “I’ll stay for as long as you’ll put up with me.” Alucard chuckled breathlessly, nodding and giving a small smile.</p>
<p>“Please kiss me again?” he murmured, almost under his breath, as if he had not meant to say that aloud.</p>
<p>Lucia’s eyebrows rose, and when Alucard snapped his head up to look at her his eyes were wide with shock. He blushed furiously, stammering to say something, and Lucia guessed that no, he had not meant to say that out loud. Lucia raised one hand to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear, gently running her thumb across his cheekbone and smiling when he looked at her. Alucard hummed softly, contemplatively, before leaning down to give her another quick kiss.</p>
<p>“We should, uh…” Lucia trailed off, feeling her face flush. “We should go. Trevor and Sypha will be wondering where we are.”</p>
<p>“Oh! Yes…Yes, we should,” Alucard replied, stepping back from her and gesturing towards the library door. “After you.”</p>
<p>Outside, Trevor was loading the supplies into the wagon the four of them had arrived with. The canvas cover was slightly torn, but still serviceable, and the horses had already been hitched to the wagon in preparation for Trevor and Sypha’s departure. Sypha approached, reaching out to take Alucard’s hands. Lucia sidestepped her, moving to help Trevor with the last of their supplies.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia murmured to him as they finished. “For…everything.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” Trevor replied, smiling sheepishly. Lucia smiled back, nodding.</p>
<p>“Saying <em>safe travels </em>feels ridiculous, since I’m sure they won’t be,” Lucia said. “But do your best, and take care of yourself, yeah?”</p>
<p>“I’ll try,” Trevor replied, giving a short laugh. He was quiet for a moment, before shrugging and looking back at Lucia, gesturing for a hug. “Ah, fuck it. Come on, bring it in.”</p>
<p>Lucia laughed, but stepped forward and hugged Trevor tightly. She sighed deeply, turning her head to rest her cheek on Trevor’s chest, and he gingerly rubbed circles on her back, between her shoulder blades, with one hand.</p>
<p>“Keep in touch?” Lucia asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Trevor gave a short, confused grunt.</p>
<p>“And how exactly are we going to do that?” he replied. Lucia shrugged.</p>
<p>“Write to me,” she said. “Please?”</p>
<p>“We’ll try,” Trevor said.</p>
<p>“I’ll come find you if you don’t,” Lucia added, lifting her head to narrow her eyes playfully at Trevor. “Track you down just to make sure you’re alive, and then I’ll have to kick your ass.”</p>
<p>“That sounds like you,” he muttered, smirking wryly before turning his head towards Sypha. “Sypha! We’re being threatened!” he called, laughing.</p>
<p>“Already? What did you do?” Sypha asked.</p>
<p>“Nothing!” Trevor defended, pulling away from Lucia and crossing his arms over his chest.</p>
<p>“It’s not so much what he did as much as what he’s being threatened with if he doesn’t do it,” Lucia said, walking over to where Sypha stood. Sypha raised an eyebrow at her.</p>
<p>“Which is…?” she prompted.</p>
<p>“Write to me, to us,” Lucia repeated, laying her hands on Sypha’s upper arms and giving her a bright smile. Sypha mirrored the gesture, nodding. “Or, like I said, I’ll track you down just to make sure you’re alive, and then I’ll kick your asses.”</p>
<p>“We will,” Sypha promised, laughing slightly. “I…can think of a spell or two that could get letters here without us having to rely on messengers. I’ll write them to you so your letters will find us.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan,” Lucia replied.</p>
<p>Sypha smiled, nodding again, before she pulled Lucia into a hug. Lucia wrapped her arms around Sypha and hugged her back, resting her chin on her head, pulling a face when Sypha’s short, red hair tickled her nose. Sypha shifted, resting her chin on Lucia’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Be well, Lucia,” she murmured. “My friend.”</p>
<p>“I’ll do my best, Sypha,” Lucia replied softly. Sypha hummed, pulling back to squeeze Lucia’s arms one last time before she turned back to Alucard, clasping his hands gently in her own.</p>
<p>“Be well, my friend,” she told him. Alucard looked down at their hands for a moment, then back up to Sypha’s face.</p>
<p>“You too,” he said softly. He then nodded towards where Trevor was still packing, and had dropped one of the bags as he loaded it into the wagon, causing a few others to fall as well. “Don’t let that idiot get you into too much trouble.”</p>
<p>“Never,” Sypha replied, chuckling. “Well…maybe just enough trouble.”</p>
<p>“Just enough,” Alucard echoed.</p>
<p>Lucia chuckled at that, reaching to nudge Sypha playfully as she followed her back to the wagon, Alucard a half-step behind them. Sypha pulled herself up onto the wagon. Trevor walked around the side and nodded quickly at Lucia. She knit her eyebrows, stepping over to him. Trevor pulled her into another hug, squeezing tightly.</p>
<p>“Take care of yourself, yeah?” he said softly. “Maybe get that sulky half-vampire bastard into a little trouble too. You know, the fun kind.”</p>
<p>“I’ll take care of myself,” Lucia promised.</p>
<p>“Good,” Trevor sighed. “I, uh…I left something for you, on the mantlepiece over the fireplace in the sitting room we were in.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Lucia asked, lifting her head to raise an eyebrow at him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I figured you should have it,” Trevor said, shrugging.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled, and Trevor reached to ruffle her hair. Lucia yelped, muttering under her breath and snickering as she swatted at his arm. Trevor laughed, sidestepping her to move around the other side of the wagon. He hauled himself up to sit beside Sypha, and Lucia stepped back to stand next to Alucard.</p>
<p>Trevor leaned around Sypha to look at them both. Lucia smiled, giving a short wave, and Trevor nodded. He turned to look at Alucard, and the two stared each other down for a long moment before Trevor smiled. He raised one hand, the other holding the reins of the horses, and waved. Alucard smiled softly, but after a second it turned into a wry smirk that showed his fangs, and he put his middle finger up at Trevor. Lucia scoffed a short laugh, rolling her eyes.</p>
<p>“Ah, fuck you,” Trevor chuckled, leaning back and motioning for the horses to start moving. “Come on boy.” As the wagon passed, Trevor extended one hand in a final wave to them, but then flipped off Alucard. Beside Lucia, Alucard narrowed his eyes to see, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.</p>
<p>Lucia and Alucard both stood, watching, until the wagon was out of sight. <em>I’m going to miss them, </em>Lucia thought, swallowing against the lump that formed suddenly in her throat, blinking away the tears that pricked the corners of her eyes. Alucard made a muffled sound next to her, something almost like a whimper. Lucia turned towards him, finding him ducking his head, one hand pressed to his mouth as silent tears rolled off the end of his nose. Lucia ducked under Alucard’s other arm, tucking herself against his side as she wrapped her arms around him and leaning her head on his shoulder. Alucard wrapped his arms around her, one around her shoulders and the other at her waist, hugging her tightly. Lucia felt tears drop on the top of her head, where Alucard had buried his nose in her hair, and sniffled quietly, fighting her own tears.</p>
<p>“I miss them too,” she murmured.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“On the mantlepiece over the fireplace in the sitting room,” Lucia murmured to herself late that night as she stood in the sitting room. She rose up onto her toes to see up on the mantlepiece where Trevor had left…whatever he had left for her.</p>
<p>Lucia felt around the mantlepiece for a moment, grinning when her fingertips brushed across the edges of a book. She picked it up, lowering herself back onto her feet and turning it over in her hands. She gasped, one hand flying to her mouth, when she saw the Savona family crest on the cover of the book. <em>He left it for me? He…He gave me the book about my family’s history? </em>She thought.</p>
<p>Lucia flipped through the book, and as she did, a note on a piece of parchment fell out from the pages, fluttering to the floor. She furrowed her eyebrows, bending to pick it up. It was a crisp, new piece of parchment, folded three times over, and it still smelled like fresh ink.  Lucia unfolded it, making a small sound in the back of her throat when she discovered Trevor had left her a note</p>
<p>
  <em>My friend Lucia, </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I'm bad at the whole feelings thing, but...I care about you. There aren't a lot of people in my life I've cared about, or who have really cared about me. But you're one of them. You, and Sypha, and maybe even Alucard. Maybe. He's still a bastard, but he's growing on me, I think...Don't tell him I said that.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I know you feel torn between your mother's family and your father's blood. But you are more than half one and half the other. You are both. Embrace being both. I'm leaving you this book with the family tree. It shouldn't sit down in the Hold, and you're the only Savona I know. You should have it. I don't care what your grandparents said about your mother, you are a compliment to the Savona family and they should be glad to have you. Add your name here, make a legacy for yourself outside of the fuckwits who cast out your mother.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Take care of yourself, Lucia Savona.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Your friend, </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor Belmont</em>
</p>
<p>Lucia smiled softly, tears springing to her eyes again. She quickly tucked the note back into the book, closing it and tucking it under her arm as she rushed up to the library. Once there, she stopped at the first desk she came across, rifling through it for something to write with, absently sitting at the chair and flipping the book open to the most recent entries of the family tree.</p>
<p>Lucia hesitated, her hand hovering over the quill and inkpot she had found. <em>Add your name here, make a legacy for yourself. </em>Trevor’s words bounced around her mind. It felt <em>right, </em>to finally claim her mother’s name as her own, the bloodline she now knew stretched back centuries. And yet…<em>My mother’s parents disowned her for giving birth to me. They…very clearly did not want me to be here, to be able to claim the family name and heritage. But when has that stopped me before? I wear the crest on my weapons, I introduce myself as Lucia Savona when it’s safe, </em>she thought. Lucia sighed, nodding once to herself and squaring her shoulders.</p>
<p><em>Lucia Savona, </em>she wrote, and it felt good to sign her name there, the latest entry in a long family history. <em>Lucia Savona, dhampir, born 1454, found this book in 1476 and took the liberty of adding her own name to the family tree.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Lucia would also have the record show that Chiara Savona, her mother Julia’s sister, is the only member of the family who did not disown Julia in 1454 and its, therefore, Lucia’s favorite aunt.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>She’s gone.</em> Alucard thought numbly, staring up at the portrait of his mother that hung in the bedroom. <em>She’s been gone for a year now. </em>Tears welled in in eyes and he squeezed them shut, ducking his head into his hands. <em>When I woke, Sypha told me I had been asleep a year, that it had been so long since Mother died. It feels like only days ago. Days ago, when the bishop went to the house and burned it down. Days ago, when I was here at the castle instead, and only heard about the inquisition after it was all said and done, and there was nothing I could do, no way I could have saved her. Would it have been better if I was there? Would I have been able to stop it? I would have tried, and in any case that’s better than doing nothing. If I had been there, there would have been a chance…</em></p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Mother,” Alucard murmured between tears. “I’m sorry for all of this, I’m sorry I could not save you, and I’m sorry it took me so long to—” he cut off as a sob tore its way through his chest.</p>
<p><em>I’m sorry it took so long to stop Father’s war, </em>he thought, restlessly running a hand through his hair. <em>It still feels like days ago when he came back from travelling and declared war on humanity, and I failed to stop him there…I failed the both of you. I couldn’t save either of you. I couldn’t save Mother from the church, and I couldn’t save Father from his grief, couldn’t stop him from falling into madness and wreaking such death and destruction on Wallachia. And all for love…</em>Alucard thought. <em>I loved you too, you know. Yet I didn’t, or couldn’t, help you in your grief, or recover you before you fell to madness. I waited too long, and you were lost, and I…I killed you. I murdered my own father. </em>The tears fell freely now; Alucard could not stop them even if he wanted to. He ducked his head as tears rolled down his face, hugged himself as he continued to cry. Something twisted in his chest, the sharp sting of the guilt, the incessant feeling that all of this was his fault somehow. If he had been there, or done more…</p>
<p><em>For Love. </em>The words echoed in his mind. They were followed almost immediately by thoughts of Lucia. Alucard shook himself, letting out a strangled laugh as he felt his heart pound in his chest at the mere thought of her; of her piercing eyes, her smile, the way she was <em>here </em>when everyone else was <em>gone</em>, and how it made him feel better about everything, somehow<em>. </em></p>
<p><em>But is that love? </em>He wondered. <em>Do I love her or do I just appreciate that she chose to stay, for whatever reason? Do I love her or am I simply physically attracted to her? </em>The moment they had shared in the library rose unbidden to his mind, and Alucard felt himself blush. <em>I must feel something, if I acted so utterly foolish that day and asked her to kiss me. But is it right to feel this way now? To…love her, if I can call it that? To…want to talk to her, to be happy, with all that’s happened to my parents, my family, when I’ve wrought so much heartache for myself? Perhaps I am selfish to want to talk to her now, to ask her to carry my grief…</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>Alucard had been largely avoiding her for four days. Lucia only saw him for longer than the few seconds it took to pass each other in the halls during meals; and even then, it was usually because he was leaving the kitchen as she was entering it. <em>He hasn’t said more than three words to me in days, </em>Lucia thought, slowly pacing the bedroom she had claimed as her own and toying with the ends of her braid. <em>But even so I can tell that he’s upset. He seems listless, desolate, and there’s this sorrowful feeling that just…hangs in the air around him. It’s so unlike him, I hate to see him hurt so much. I wish he would talk to me; I wish I could help somehow, but I can’t if he won’t let me. </em>Lucia groaned aloud in frustration, scrunching her face as a feeling of uselessness she was not used to washed over her. She untied the cord at the end of her braid and running her hands through it.</p>
<p>“If nothing else, I wish he’d eat something,” Lucia muttered, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed and sectioning her hair to braid it again. “He cooks all this food for meals, for <em>both of us, </em>and he hardly eats.”</p>
<p><em>And he won’t even let me help with the cooking or anything. It’s not like I can’t cook…</em>Lucia thought suddenly.<em> Maybe…If I can get to the kitchen before Alucard starts working on whatever he’s making for dinner, I start on something for him, as a thank you. If he shows up and wants to help, he can…Maybe I can get him to talk to me. Or maybe just…let him know that it’s okay to want to talk, that I’ll be here to listen if he does. </em></p>
<p>Later in the afternoon, Lucia made her way into the kitchen. She struggled for a few moments, trying to familiarize herself with where things were, and how they worked. The technology in the castle never ceased to amaze her, though she gave the stove a wary glance when she discovered that, <em>apparently, </em>it was also powered by electricity, and did not need her to start a fire. Shaking her head slightly, she set a pot of water to boil on the stove, searching for wheat or chestnut flour or something to satisfy the sudden craving for polenta Lucia found herself with.</p>
<p>Lucia heard Alucard enter the kitchen almost a half hour later, heard his footsteps pause in the doorway. She could almost feel his hesitation. He murmured something under his breath that Lucia could not quite make out, and snapped her head up to look at him as he turned to leave.</p>
<p>“Wait!” she called. “I…I’m nearly done, if you’re hungry. I, um, I could use some butter though. Where’s the larder?”</p>
<p>“It’s…just over here. Let me get it for you,” Alucard replied softly, moving through the kitchen with the ease of familiarity. A moment later, he set a small dish of butter on the countertop near where she was stirring the polenta.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia murmured, giving him a quick smile before adding the butter to the pot. She stirred for another moment, though she felt Alucard’s gaze on her. “What? Did I not tell you I can cook?”</p>
<p>“I know what you’re trying to do here,” Alucard said when Lucia looked up to him. He narrowed his eyes slightly.</p>
<p>“Oh?” Lucia raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“You’re trying to get me to talk. To focus on anything but…” Alucard trailed off, looking away, his fangs biting into his bottom lip. “The worst part is that it’s working. Here, let me help?”</p>
<p>“Where do you keep your spices?” Lucia asked, biting back a smile.</p>
<p>Alucard rolled his eyes, but moved to the counter a bit farther away, where a rack of dried spices had been tucked into a corner. Lucia set aside the spoon and moved to go through the spice rack. Behind her, Alucard took up stirring the polenta. Lucia picked a few small jars from the rack, smiling at the familiar smell of basil and oregano. She sidled up to Alucard, silently adding the spices to the pot.</p>
<p>“Knives?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“Here,” Alucard replied, reaching around her to open a drawer with a knife block. Lucia hummed, reaching for one of the knives, feeling herself flush when her hand brushed Alucard’s. She smiled sheepishly, taking the knife, setting it on a cutting board, and grabbing a clove of garlic from the pantry.</p>
<p>“Have you…ever made bulz?” Alucard asked hesitantly after a few moments of them working in silence. Lucia knit her eyebrows.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I know what bulz is,” she replied.</p>
<p>“Oh my god,” Alucard said, turning to fix her with a look. “Oh, you poor thing. We’re making them now.”</p>
<p>Lucia gave a short laugh, rolling her eyes. <em>When did he get snarky all of a sudden? </em>She wondered. <em>Not that I’m about to complain, it’s the most he’s talked in days. I much prefer snarky Alucard to silent, brooding Alucard. </em></p>
<p>“Mind telling me what they are?” Lucia asked. Alucard raised an unimpressed eyebrow.</p>
<p>“It’s this, but we make balls of the polenta, fill them with soft cheese and fry them in a pan,” Alucard explained. Lucia nodded.</p>
<p>“That sounds…delicious,” Lucia murmured. Alucard rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>The two finished cooking in silence. Lucia moved to find plates and silverware for them once the bulz were finished, and Alucard disappeared through the door at the other end of the kitchen that, Lucia guessed, led to a cellar. He reappeared a moment later with two glasses and a bottle of wine.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia said quietly after a few moments, biting her bottom lip. “You know…this reminds me of when I used to cook with my mother. We had a lot of polenta, when I was growing up. Though…I’m not sure we ever had so many spices in it at once.”</p>
<p>“No?” Alucard echoed, knitting his eyebrows slightly. Lucia shook her head.</p>
<p>“We were…very poor, couldn’t always afford it,” Lucia murmured. “I…think we both learned how to cook much more from working as cooks or bakers or pastry makers…” Lucia trailed off, taking another bite of her food and humming contently. “This is really good, thank you for teaching me.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Alucard replied, taking a sip from his drink.</p>
<p>“There was a woman Mamma and I worked with, when we lived in France, her name was Jehanne,” Lucia continued after a moment. Alucard glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow. “She was the head cook. She was…very kind to us. A bit stern, but a good teacher and mentor, and…I think I was her favorite, out of all the servant girls at this nobleman’s estate. She sneaked me a raspberry tart once, on my birthday…” Lucia trailed off, glancing at Alucard. Alucard made a small sound and raised an eyebrow at her.</p>
<p>“Our lady was hosting some…party or something upstairs. I don’t remember what for, but I remember all these finely dressed people, and we cooked for days to prepare. Jehanne was laying out a tray for one of the boys to take to the dining room, and she moved with such a practiced speed that I barely noticed when she put one of the tarts in my hands,” Lucia explained. “When I looked up to ask her w<em>hat </em>or <em>why, </em>she shushed me and said ‘It’s your birthday, isn’t it? They won’t miss <em>one </em>tart upstairs. I would know, we spent all morning making three dozen…Just eat quick before someone else sees you.’”</p>
<p>“So, what did you do?” Alucard asked softly. Lucia snickered, smiling to herself.</p>
<p>“Oh! I stuffed the whole thing in my mouth as fast as I could,” she replied. “Jehanne laughed…I was eleven or twelve at the time.”</p>
<p>Alucard snickered a little, despite himself, and Lucia gave a bright smile. They finished eating in silence, though it was less heavy, less awkward than it had been. Alucard quickly excused himself when he was finished, washing his dish in the kitchen sink before disappearing out the kitchen door. Lucia sighed, pursing her lips as she moved to clean up after herself.  </p>
<p><em>It was something, I suppose, </em>Lucia thought as she closed the door to her bedroom. She hummed quietly, stretching her arms over her head and smiling wryly as her back cracked. <em>I got him to speak to me, a little. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll get him to sit in the library with me. He won’t have to talk unless he wants to, and it wouldn’t feel so strange if he chose not to. </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p><p>Guys, I'm sorry, but this is just straight-up angst.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia smiled to herself as she read, hearing Alucard’s footsteps enter the library. She had mentioned over breakfast that she planned on spending time in the library that morning. Lucia glanced up, giving Alucard a quick smile when he sat at the table across from her and began to read his own book.</p><p>“Italian?” Alucard asked quietly after a few minutes, nodding towards the cover of the book Lucia was reading.</p><p>“Italian, particularly the variation of Florence, is my mother tongue, and easiest for me to read in,” Lucia replied, nodding. “Though, I can read in French, Hungarian, Spanish, and Romanian as well.”</p><p>“Impressive,” Alucard said, raising his eyebrows slightly. “What…are you reading?”</p><p>“Beowulf. I’m nearly finished too,” Lucia replied. “Have you…?”</p><p>“Read it?” Alucard replied, a small smirk on his face that did not reach his eyes. “I have. I am…glad you’re enjoying it as well.”</p><p>Lucia smiled, nodding, and returned to her book. Alucard did the same, but the silence that fell over them was not the same easy, breathable silence of dinner last night. Lucia pursed her lips, glancing at Alucard every few minutes to find him seemingly absorbed in his book, if Lucia ignored that he had not turned a page since he began, and that he had a sad, faraway look in his golden eyes.  </p><hr/><p>“The castle has a…greenhouse?” Lucia echoed, furrowing her eyebrows at the unfamiliar word. “A room specifically dedicated to growing plants?”</p><p>“Yes,” Alucard replied softly, glancing at her as he opened the door and held it open for her.</p><p>Potted plants lined tables along the glass walls of the room. Some hung from hooks in the ceiling, overflowing their pots with long fronds that fell nearly to the floor. Some, in large pots, stood on the floor. Lucia’s eyes widened as she moved into the room, almost unsure of where to look first.</p><p><em>What are these? Where do these come from? I don’t recognize a lot of them, </em>Lucia thought, glancing back at Alucard, about to ask. He hovered near the door, arms crossed over his chest, and he looked away when he caught her gaze. Lucia ducked her head, looking away, deciding against asking about the plants she did not know. She tucked her hair behind her ear when it fell into her face with the movement.</p><p>“Wait…” Lucia trailed off, leaning to look at a small potted plant on one of the tables. She reached out to it, gently turning over one of the round, dark green leaves in her fingers. “These are strawberries, no?”</p><p>“Yes,” Alucard replied, raising one eyebrow slightly. Lucia smiled softly.</p><p>“These grow much bigger in the ground,” she commented. “They grow wild in France, and around other cities where we traveled. My mother…used to make jam tarts from them.”</p><p>“It’s a bit cold to relocate them now,” Alucard said, giving a small, noncommittal hum.</p><p>The two went separate ways soon after, Alucard turning and disappearing off somewhere abruptly, and Lucia wandering the castle on her own. She sat in one of the libraries for a while—having learned the castle had more than one library—but soon found herself shifting restlessly. She pursed her lips, putting away the book she had been reading and heading outside.</p><p><em>The thing about traveling so much, </em>Lucia thought as she walked through the forest, back towards the clearing near the river where Trevor had brought them that one day, a little over a week ago now. <em>Is that you get accustomed to being outside. That sometimes, being indoors, even in an enormous, magical castle, feels suffocating. </em>She heard a few twigs snapping off to her left, her ears twitched towards the sound. Suddenly a small, sandy blonde cat darted from behind a bush across Lucia’s path. Lucia paused, tilting her head slightly as she looked at the cat. The cat paused and looked at her for a moment before running off into the trees.</p><p>As she continued walking, wandering a little aimlessly, Lucia came across a thicket of raspberry bushes. Tilting her head, she walked over. It was still early spring, the period where it could still very well snow, and the plants had just begun to come back after laying dormant all winter. Lucia smiled, however, tracing a finger over the leaves and daydreaming for a moment about mid-summer, when the raspberries would ripen.  </p><p>It was around lunch time when Lucia came back to the castle, but she had found no trace of Alucard in the kitchen. <em>That’s…odd, </em>she thought, furrowing her eyebrows. <em>Usually he still gets to cooking before I do. </em></p><p>Lucia scrunched her face, but moved into the kitchen, untying her cloak and tossing it haphazardly over a chair at the table. She found a cutting board, slicing up some cheese, bread, an apple, and some dried meat from the pantry. Humming thoughtfully, she disappeared in a flash down into the wine cellar, coming back with a bottle of sweet white wine she thought she would like, and hoped Alucard would. He still had not come into the kitchen, and Lucia frowned, setting the food on the kitchen table and setting off in search of him.</p><p>Lucia found Alucard in his bedroom, the door just slightly ajar. Hesitantly, she knocked, and the door creaked slightly as it opened. Alucard looked up suddenly, hair falling into his face and his eyes red-rimmed. <em>He’s been crying, </em>Lucia realized, and the thought made her heart twist painfully in her chest. She stood in the doorway, shifting her weight on her feet.</p><p>“Leave me be,” Alucard said, his voice quiet but bitter. “Please.”</p><p>“I put together some food for lunch,” Lucia said after a moment. Alucard’s eyes drifted back to her and some of the tension seemed to seep out of him. Some.</p><p>“And…if I tell you I’m not hungry,” Alucard said. Lucia rolled her eyes.</p><p>“You haven’t eaten since this morning, and you barely ate this morning,” she pointed out. Alucard hummed softly. He stood after a long moment, and Lucia gave a small smile, nodding towards the door as she turned and headed back down to the kitchen with Alucard a half-step behind her.</p><hr/><p>A few nights later, Lucia had talked Alucard into joining her in the astronomy tower. He sat nearby, looking poised and elegant with his legs tucked neatly under him, while Lucia lay with her legs outstretched, propped up on one elbow. On the floor next to her, she had borrowed a book about astronomy from the library that was <em>supposedly </em>translated into Italian. Many passages, however, remained in badly translated Italian that was difficult to decipher, or still in Ancient Greek. Lucia made a face at each unfamiliar passage she encountered. Alucard, however, spoke Ancient Greek, though he grumbled and rolled his eyes whenever Lucia asked him to translate.</p><p>“Honestly, you should just learn the language at this point,” he muttered.</p><p>“Don’t tempt me, Alucard, I might do just that,” Lucia replied.</p><p>A half-moon shone that night, accompanied by hundred of stars, casting a soft, silvery light in the astronomy tower. Lucia tilted her head back to look up at the stars through the domed glass roof of the tower, picking out the North star immediately and smiling slightly to herself.</p><p>“You know,” Lucia mused, leaning back on the floor and turning her head towards Alucard. He tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow at her. “My mother once told me sailors use the stars to navigate. She told me her father used to sail, and taught her how to do the same thing, when she was a child…” she trailed off, gesturing towards the North star with one hand. “She taught me to find that star when I was young, that it always pointed north, so I could find my way if I ever got lost on our travels…It was very useful, travelling by myself.” <em>I think of her every time I find that star in the night sky, </em>Lucia added mentally. <em>I think of her, and how she taught me, and I miss her.</em></p><hr/><p> Alucard hummed at Lucia’s words, nodding, and a memory rose unbidden in his mind. <em>I would spend hours a night up here with Father as a young boy. He would sit with me, looking at the stars. He told me their names, the names of the constellations that ancient Greek, Egyptian, or Babylonian astronomers had given them, and the ancient stories of them. </em>Alucard squeezed his eyes shut, ducking his head as he turned away from Lucia. The tears fell regardless, and he hoped Lucia either did not notice or would not ask when he rose suddenly and disappeared in a flash of red.</p><hr/><p>It did not seem, on the surface, like Alucard was still avoiding her; he spent enough time with her over the last two weeks that it didn't seem like he was actively doing so. But Lucia still felt something was wrong. They read in the library, yes. They occasionally cooked meals together, yes. But Alucard still barely spoke, and excused himself as soon as he could. Lucia wondered if perhaps it wasn't her that he was avoiding. <em>He’s not running from me. He’s running from his grief. Because if he’s alone with it he doesn’t have to talk about it, doesn’t have to deal with it as much, </em>she thought suddenly over dinner, and she made a face at the realization.</p><p>Alucard got up from the table suddenly, murmuring under his breath. Lucia sighed, biting the inside of her cheek and finally fed up with how distant, and desolate, and miserable he had been, with how much she wanted to help and he would not let her. Lucia lifted her head to look at Alucard when he turned to leave.</p><p>“Running from it doesn't make it go away, Alucard,” she said. Alucard froze in the doorway, pointedly not looking at her, and Lucia could see him tense. “Bottling up your feelings doesn't stop you from feeling them.”</p><p>“I beg your pardon?” Alucard asked after a long moment, finally looking at her with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>“Don't. I ran halfway across the world to get away from my grief, I know what it feels like, what it looks like,” Lucia replied, slowly standing from the table and taking a small step towards Alucard. “It didn’t <em>fucking </em>work.”</p><p>“Truly inspirational. What does work, then?” He asked sharply, rolling his eyes slightly. Lucia narrowed her eyes at him, biting back the snide remark that first came to mind. She took a deep breath before she spoke again.</p><p>“You have to face it,” she said softly. “You have to grapple with these feelings. I’ve found talking about them with people who care about you helps.”</p><p>“Talk to who? Sypha? Trevor?” Alucard snapped. “They <em>left</em>, Lucia.” His voice broke as he said it, and he swallowed hard, looking away.</p><p>“Yes! People who care about you, like Trevor or Sypha or <em>me!”</em> Lucia replied. “Even if you’ve been avoiding me like I’m carrying the plague.”</p><p>“I don’t think we could even contract the plague,” Alucard said.  </p><p>“Not the point.” Lucia sighed.</p><p>“Why did you stay, anyway?” Alucard asked after a long moment.</p><p>“Because I care about you, you sarcastic, irritable pain in the ass!” Lucia exclaimed, giving a soft, frustrated laugh. “Because I care about you and I didn’t want you to be all alone. The only way to do this is to feel it. <em>Yes</em>, it hurts. <em>Yes</em>, remembering and grieving can be ugly, painful things at first, but that's why I'm trying to get you talk to me! I care about you and I want to help, but there is nothing I can do if you keep avoiding me…You can <em>talk</em> to me, Alucard.”</p><p>Alucard paused for a long moment, looking utterly shocked and a bit like he had just been slapped across the face. He ducked his head for a moment, thinking, before he spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, and Lucia had to strain even her heightened hearing to catch his words. “Adrian.”</p><p>“What?” Lucia asked, knitting her eyebrows. All her frustration evaporated suddenly, replaced by confusion. <em>What the hell is he talking about? </em>She wondered.</p><p>“I promised you once that, when it was all said and done, I would tell you my true name. I am Adrian Tepes, son of Lisa, and Vlad Dracula Tepes…and now they’re both <em>dead</em>—” His voice broke on the last word, and he cut off with a sob, leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen.</p><p>Lucia rushed forward, almost instinctively moving to wrap him in a hug, but she paused, hesitating. Alucard all but lunged for her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist and burying his face in the crook of her neck as he cried in earnest. Lucia hugged him back tightly, resting her chin on the top of his head. She lifted one hand to gently card her fingers through his hair, murmuring under her breath as she did. Alucard fell to his knees after a moment, and Lucia gently rearranged them so they were both sitting on the kitchen floor. Alucard clutched at her back, his fingers digging into the skin slightly, holding her tightly as if afraid she would disappear.</p><p>“Lucia?” he asked, hiccupping through his tears, after a long moment. Lucia hummed quietly in response. “Does it ever get easier?”</p><p>“I…not in that sense. It…changes…” Lucia replied, pursing her lips. “It ebbs, comes and goes in waves. You learn how to deal with it when it comes. You learn to remember the happy times, the good times, without so much pain. Eventually you learn to stop the guilt, you learn that whatever happened wasn’t your fault.”</p><p>Alucard let out a short, bitter laugh. “Lucia I…I killed my own father. How is it <em>not</em> my fault? How am I ever going to live with that? How—"</p><p>“I don't know,” Lucia replied, cutting him off. “I can't tell you right now how it'll happen, but...it will, someday. God, it's going to sound awful, I know, but you really did save countless lives. I know you would have preferred to save him too, to stop him without having to kill him but...in the end it didn't work out that way. It is <em>not</em> your fault. You were put in a terrible situation and you did what you had to. I'm...I'm <em>so sorry</em> it had to be you.” Lucia paused, swallowing down the lump in her throat and blinking back the tears that threatened to spill down her face. “Despite it all, it's okay to mourn...but it's also okay to move on, when you're ready.”</p><p>Alucard hummed slightly, nodding. He said nothing, but loosened his grip on Lucia enough to shift to that he was sitting next to her, one arm still wrapped round her and his head resting on her shoulder. Lucia’s arms still wrapped him in a hug, and she rested her cheek on top of his head.</p><p>“Do you…Do you still want to be called Alucard?” she asked softly after a few minutes.</p><p>“Yes.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p>
<p>Just a bit of a head's up, but we get some more slightly horny thoughts in this one too.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia huffed softly, pulling her shirt back up onto her shoulder. <em>I really do need to get around to altering this, </em>she thought. <em>And…maybe get to getting some fabric to make more clothes for myself. I can’t just wear Alucard’s all the time. He already lets me borrow an old night shirt of his that’s still too big in the shoulders…and still smells like him…</em>Lucia trailed off, blushing at the thought. She shook her head slightly as if to dislodge the thought, and nudged the door to the library open with her shoulder.</p>
<p>“What are you reading?” Lucia asked softly, approaching where Alucard sat at a window seat in the library, one knee drawn up to rest his arm on as he held a book open in front of him.</p>
<p><em>“The Canterbury Tales</em>,” Alucard replied. Lucia furrowed her eyebrows and Alucard gestured for her to sit on the window seat, across from him. She gently nudged his foot out of her way as she did so, tucking one leg under herself.</p>
<p>“I’ve never heard of it,” Lucia said softly. Alucard hummed thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“It’s a…collection of stories loosely connected by a larger narrative frame, written by a man named Geoffrey Chaucer; they’re written in Middle English,” he replied.</p>
<p>“And that may be why I’ve never heard of them,” Lucia said. “The only words I know in English are to say that I do not speak English.”</p>
<p>“I could always read it to you.” Alucard chuckled dryly.</p>
<p>“A tempting offer,” Lucia said, smiling. “But it still presents the problem of my not understanding the language.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure there’s a translation here somewhere of this particular work in a language you speak,” Alucard replied.</p>
<p>“If that is the case, I could read it myself?” Lucia tilted her head slightly.</p>
<p>“Well yes, I’m certain you could. Who said I would read it to you if it was in a language you understood?” Alucard asked, raising an eyebrow. Lucia pursed her lips, making a face at him, and he smirked almost mischievously.</p>
<p>“Would you?” she countered.</p>
<p>Alucard paused, blushing slightly and ducking his head. His hair fell across his face as he did, shimmering gold where it caught the sunlight coming in from the window. Lucia folded her hands in her lap, resisting the urge to reach out and run her fingers through his hair.</p>
<p>“Perhaps I would,” Alucard replied after a moment, nudging her slightly with his foot as he continued. “But perhaps only if you stopped being a cheeky little pest.”</p>
<p>“Rude!” Lucia laughed. “I am not little.”</p>
<p>“You’re smaller than me,” Alucard pointed out. “So yes, you are.”</p>
<p>Lucia rolled her eyes, swatting at his leg. “I…wanted to ask you something.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Alucard looked up, tilting his head slightly at her.</p>
<p>“Do we…Do we happen to have money?” she asked hesitantly. “I wanted to go into town, to Arges, to see if I could get some fabric to sew clothes with for myself. I have some coin myself, but not enough…And I can’t keep wearing your clothes.”</p>
<p>“We do,” Alucard replied. “We also…Mother’s clothes are still here, and they might also fit you.”</p>
<p>“They might.” Lucia nodded. “But even so, I enjoy making some things for myself once in a while, and I’m rather good at it, if I may say so.”</p>
<p>“Are you?” Alucard asked.</p>
<p>“I am,” Lucia replied, smiling. “Mamma and I lived in Venice for…nearly a year. I apprenticed with a seamstress there who was…very good at what she did, and a good teacher to me. She was relatively well-known and sought after by the more wealthy or noble people in the city.”</p>
<p>“She sounds especially talented,” Alucard commented. Lucia nodded.</p>
<p>“She was. She taught me quite a lot,” she said softly.</p>
<p>“We have money, we’ll get you some and you can head to Arges whenever you like,” Alucard said. “I believe Arges is closest to us still.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied, smiling. “And yes, I think Arges is the nearest town.”</p>
<p>There was a comfortable silence between them as Alucard began to read again. Lucia pulled her legs up onto the window seat, stretching them out in front of her and nudging at Alucard’s long legs to make space for herself. Alucard glanced up at her after a moment, and she tilted her head curiously at him.</p>
<p>Alucard hummed thoughtfully, a small, wistful smile on his face, and he began to read out loud. Lucia perked up, smiling as she listened. The words were utterly unfamiliar to her, but she enjoyed listening to Alucard’s voice; it was even-toned, smooth, and particularly nice to hear after he had avoided speaking to her for roughly two weeks.</p>
<p>“I may not have told you the whole truth before,” Alucard said mildly after reading for a while.</p>
<p>“Oh no?” Lucia replied. “What deep secrets have you kept from me?”</p>
<p>“Oh countless, dastardly things,” Alucard said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “But I happen to know there was a translation of <em>The Canterbury Tales </em>in Romanian.”</p>
<p>“Is there?” Lucia asked, leaning forward to rest her chin on her arms, which she had loosely wrapped around one knee.</p>
<p>“There is…It was perhaps a favorite of my mother’s,” Alucard said softly. “There was a period of time where she would recount one of the tales before bed every night—adapted, I have since realized, to be suitable to tell a child—and when I asked for more she would say no, to keep me interested. She told the whole collection to me like that.”</p>
<p>“That’s very sweet,” Lucia said, smiling.</p>
<p>Alucard gave a small smile back at her. “Yes, she was.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Do you think we ought to…clean up more after…everything that’s happened?” Lucia asked carefully over dinner.</p>
<p>“I think so,” Alucard replied after a moment. “If we’ll both be living here now, we should…fix things up. We did, a bit, that first morning after, but…”</p>
<p>“We didn’t quite clean up anything, and we didn’t get to fix things yet,” Lucia added. Alucard hummed, taking another bite of his food.</p>
<p>“There were some renovations I had thought about as well,” he added.</p>
<p>“Like what?” Lucia asked, looking at him over the rim of her glass and raising an eyebrow curiously.</p>
<p>“I thought about putting lights powered by electricity in the Belmont Hold,” Alucard replied. Lucia’s eyebrows raised.</p>
<p>“How would you get down there to do that?” she asked.</p>
<p>“I can fly, remember?” Alucard said, chuckling slightly.</p>
<p>“Right.” Lucia made a face. “You can fly, and also turn into a wolf, and your sword flies.”</p>
<p>“The sword is enchanted,” Alucard said. “But yes, I can shapeshift into a wolf…and also a bat.”</p>
<p>“How does that work?” Lucia asked. “And why is it something you can do but I can’t, and no other dhampirs I’ve met can?”</p>
<p>Alucard shifted uncomfortably for a moment, taking a sip from his wine. “I…believe it has something to do with the abilities one’s vampire parent has; it appears they are inherited. There are books, somewhere in one of the libraries, but only a few, if that.”</p>
<p>“I might have to take a look later,” Lucia said. “My mother and I never knew much, we sort of…figured things out as we went.”</p>
<p>“I’m afraid there isn’t much information available,” Alucard said quietly. “Dhampirs as a species are…very rare.”</p>
<p>“You mentioned renovations, as in plural,” Lucia said after a moment. “What else did you have in mind?”</p>
<p>“Father had plans for a lift, a sort of…pulley system I think I could modify to lower and raise a platform down into the Hold,” Alucard replied. “It would make bringing the supplies to install electricity down there much easier.”</p>
<p>“It would also make it easier to get down if you can’t fly,” Lucia added, smirking.</p>
<p>“That too,” Alucard said, chuckling slightly. “The lift would need to be counterbalanced…boulders, I think, would be the easiest to do that with for the amount of weight that would be needed.”</p>
<p>“If you need any help with that, I’d be more than happy to,” Lucia said.</p>
<p>“Thank you for the offer, but I believe I’d be able to do it on my own,” Alucard replied.</p>
<p>Lucia nodded, smiling slightly. <em>This is good though, </em>she thought. <em>It’s…progress. Something he wants to do and I didn’t have to talk him into it. </em></p>
<p>After dinner, Lucia found herself in the library again, sitting at a table with a stack of books in front of her. There were, as Alucard mentioned, only a few books about dhampirs; two, precisely. It seemed, however, that they explored in some detail what little was known about the biology of dhampirs, which Lucia was interested in.</p>
<p><em>Mamma and I never knew what to expect when I was growing up. What I might be able to do, what I might need. When I was very young, the blood thing came as a surprise, she once told me. And then she never knew how much I would need until I was old enough to tell her, </em>Lucia thought.</p>
<p><em>“Dhampirs often inherit any special abilities of their vampire parent,” </em>Lucia read aloud. “Huh, Alucard was right.”</p>
<p><em>The speed, strength, rapid healing, and…more or less being immortal seem to be standard for dhampirs though, </em>Lucia thought, continuing to read. The book went on to explain that certain other biological traits of vampires could show up in some dhampirs, but not others; not all, it seemed, would be affected equally by silver, sunlight, holy or otherwise consecrated weapons, or other things that would kill a vampire.</p>
<p><em>The effects seen in vampire saliva are also very often applicable to dhampirs, </em>Lucia read. <em>Wait what does that mean? I know about the whole…vampire saliva stops bleeding thing. Mamma and I discovered that when I was young, but…What the hell else is there? </em></p>
<p>At that thought, Lucia reached for one of the books she had taken off the shelf about vampires and their anatomy. ‘<em>The saliva of a vampire acts as a coagulant’…I knew this, probably meant specifically to seal up bite wounds after they feed on someone, so they don’t have to kill them. But what else is there—? ‘During their feeding process, a vampire’s saliva is also known to have powerful aphrodisiac qualities, causing intense feelings of pleasure for both parties involved.’</em></p>
<p>Lucia nearly slammed the book shut, her mouth falling open slightly. <em>Why? Why is that a thing vampire saliva does? Is that one of the things dhampirs do too? We…the coagulant thing is…a thing for us, I know. But…this? </em>She wondered.</p>
<p><em>Would it be so bad if it was? If you could learn to control yourself and how much blood you drank from someone, you could…use this for pleasure…</em>A small part of Lucia’s mind whispered. Her thoughts were suddenly overcome with an image of Alucard, of running her hands through his hair, gently tugging to tilt his head back, and kissing down his neck. Part of her wanted to bite him, wondered what it might feel like, how pleasurable it might be—for <em>both</em> of them, apparently.</p>
<p>Lucia shook herself out of that train of thought, blushing furiously. <em>What are you doing? </em>She thought. <em>I…Why? Why do I feel like this about him? Well, no, I know why. He’s thoughtful, and kind, and sweet. He’s intelligent, and has a sense of humor…and on top of all of that he’s…very attractive. He’s fucking beautiful and it’s almost ridiculously unfair. </em>Lucia groaned aloud in frustration, folding her arms on the table and dropping her head onto them. <em>Goddammit. I love him. I’m in love with him. What a time to do this. I can’t just…God, I can’t do that to him now. I don’t know how he feels about me and if I tell him and he doesn’t…If he doesn’t, the revelation will make our friendship incredibly awkward. I don’t want that. And I don’t want to give him anything else to worry about right now. He doesn’t need this now. Not while he’s still clearly grieving his parents and everything about that, even…Even if he’s been a bit more open about talking about it now. God, Lucia, you have impeccable timing. What are you going to do with yourself?</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia blinked slowly, staring at the enormous hole in the wall of the corridor. She remembered vividly how it had gotten there; Dracula had summoned a large ball of molten rock and fire during the fight, and Sypha had redirected it at him, burning a massive hole in the stone wall through to the library on the other side. She and Alucard had spent all day cleaning the castle in much more detail than they had previously, fixing things they could. It had taken nearly all day; it was nearing time for dinner, and they had started early in the morning after breakfast and barely paused for lunch.</p>
<p>Lucia pursed her lips, making a face as she considered this new problem. “What are we going to—”</p>
<p>“I have no idea,” Alucard said, shaking his head slightly. Lucia let out a short, soft laugh.</p>
<p>“Do we have a wall tapestry large enough to cover it?” she asked, only half-joking.</p>
<p>“We may,” Alucard replied. “Though it wouldn’t do anything for the hole on the other side.”</p>
<p>“We’ll move a bookshelf there,” Lucia said. “And we’ll build a hidden doorway in it to access the secret tunnel it would make through to here.” She snickered quietly. Alucard let out a soft laugh.</p>
<p>“It’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” he commented.</p>
<p>“Why thank you.” Lucia rolled her eyes, smirking slightly. “If…If that’s it…What do you say we wash up and have dinner? I was wondering if we might not pack a basket and go out to that spot by the river. It is a nice day, and we have spent all of it inside.”</p>
<p>“I…would like that, yes,” Alucard replied quietly, giving her a small smile.</p>
<p>Lucia took a bath for probably longer than she needed to, allowing her clothes to dry and letting the hot water relax tired, sore muscles. She took a towel to her hair and combed through it, though it was still damp as she left the washroom and headed towards the kitchen to meet Alucard. He was already there, and already packing a basket of food for them both.</p>
<p>“Do you have a preference for red or white wine?” he asked, giving a small smile as Lucia came into the kitchen. Lucia shook her head, shrugging one shoulder.</p>
<p>“Either, I’m not picky about that,” she replied. “I do prefer sweet wines though.”</p>
<p>“Well, it’s nice to know you have good taste,” Alucard said. Lucia snickered slightly, but Alucard held the basket with one arm, offering the other to her. “Shall we?”</p>
<p>“Let’s,” Lucia replied, smiling as she looped her arm with Alucard’s. He smiled, ducking his head slightly, his hair falling over his face as he did, though Lucia could have sworn he was blushing. The thought made Lucia’s face heat up, and she glanced down.</p>
<p>By mutual agreement, Lucia and Alucard had both brought their swords along. Lucia also had a dagger hidden in her boot. <em>Not that I don’t do that all the time anyway; Hell, </em><em>I sleep with one under my pillow too, </em>Lucia thought. It was nearing nightfall, and there were still occasional roaming packs of night creatures abroad. For the moment, both swords lay on the blanket Alucard and Lucia has set up their basket and food on, and Lucia leaned back on her elbows.</p>
<p>Lucia sat up as she heard a soft rustling in the bushes at the edge of the clearing, one hand coming up to cover her mouth as she chewed a mouthful of food. “Did you hear that?”</p>
<p>“It’s a stray cat, Lucia,” Alucard replied, raising an eyebrow at her. A small cat with light, sandy fur darted out of one of the bushes, pausing to stare at them with bright green eyes.</p>
<p>“I know…But I saw her the other day too,” Lucia said softly, reaching into the basket for a small piece of dried meat. She moved to the edge of the blanket, sitting on her knees and leaning onto one hand, the other holding the food and reaching towards the cat.</p>
<p>“Do you really think that will work?” Alucard asked, a note of amusement in his voice. Lucia scoffed and rolled her eyes, tossing the bit of meat into the grass and sitting back down.</p>
<p>“No, but now she’ll have it later,” she said.</p>
<p>“What? Are you adopting her?” Alucard asked, smirking.</p>
<p>“I’ve done it before,” Lucia said, snickering slightly. “Mamma and I adopted a cat for a bakery I worked at once. We kept leaving food out for him, and he came to associate the bakery with food, and then he just…moved in. He hunted mice for us though, so we let him stay.”</p>
<p>“It seems like you and your mother had quite a few adventures in your lives,” Alucard replied.</p>
<p>“We…certainly did,” Lucia said, smiling softly.</p>
<p>“You never did tell me her name,” Alucard added after a moment. Lucia knit her eyebrows. “I promised you that if we survived…fighting my father, that I would tell you my true name. I did, though not entirely how I would have wanted to. You told me you would tell me your last name, your real one, the one your mother gave you.”</p>
<p>“I did,” Lucia murmured, nodding. “My mother’s name was Julia Savona. That is the name I prefer to use, though when I traveled through western Europe it wasn’t always…safe to do so. The Savonas are a family of monster hunters, similar to the Belmonts. Trevor…found a book of family records and history in the Hold. He gave it to me before he left. I haven’t read all of it yet, but…You’re welcome to read through it as well.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Alucard replied softly. “I’m honored you would allow me to read such…personal records.”</p>
<p>Lucia smiled slightly, nodding in response. A comfortable silence fell over them as they continued eating, Lucia leaned back again, propping herself up on one elbow and crossing her legs at the ankles. Alucard reclined similarly nearby, leaning on one hand with his legs tucked under himself. Lucia tilted her head back, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth of the evening sun on her face.</p>
<p>“I think…” Lucia trailed off, tilting her head to glance at Alucard. “It may be warm enough soon to move some plants outside.”</p>
<p>“The strawberries, perhaps,” Alucard agreed. “Many of the other plants in the greenhouse, however, need to remain there as they require warmer conditions than Wallachia offers.”</p>
<p>“How so?” Lucia asked, quirking an eyebrow as she reached to take a sip from her glass of wine.</p>
<p>“The castle used to travel. Many of the plants in the greenhouse are from various places across the world…Some even from the continent across the sea,” Alucard said. “Father kept books about said plants, how to care for them, how to cook them in different recipes.”</p>
<p>Lucia blanched, nearly choking on her drink. <em>There’s a whole continent across the sea? </em>She thought, staring wide-eyed at Alucard. <em>How? What’s there? Is it possible to sail there? What are the plants like, then? What sort of foods can you make that Dracula evidently kept a recipe book for them? </em></p>
<p>“I—Come again?” Lucia asked, clearing her throat. Alucard bit his lower lip, fangs digging in just slightly.</p>
<p>“There is another land mass, a continent, on the other side of the sea,” he said slowly. “Father…evidently traveled there, with the castle, and brought back some plants for the greenhouse. Many of them are crops, and he wrote down different ways he learned to eat them.”</p>
<p>“Interesting,” Lucia murmured, nodding slowly, still shocked.</p>
<p>“I am certain there is a map somewhere in the castle,” Alucard added. “I could show you, if you like.”</p>
<p>“Please,” Lucia replied. Alucard nodded, smiling sheepishly.</p>
<p>They lapsed into silence again as they continued to eat. Lucia glanced back to see the cat still hovering at the edge of the clearing. She smiled slightly, running a hand through her hair, twisting a small piece around her fingers. It was still slightly damp, but dry enough that Lucia easily found herself idly braiding it, then undoing the small braids she had done and braiding all of her hair into two braids down her back, starting at the front of her hair and picking up pieces as she braided back.</p>
<p>“How do you do that so quickly?” Alucard asked, watching her curiously. Lucia hummed slightly, pulling the two braids together, pulling slightly to separate them into three strands to braid the whole of her hair into one braid.</p>
<p>“Years of practice,” Lucia replied, smirking slightly. <em>Years of practice, and work as a ladies’ maid, and ever-changing trends and styles, </em>she thought.  </p>
<p>“I only ever learned the most basic way to braid my hair. If I tie my hair back at all, I tend to simply tie it at the nape of my neck,” Alucard said. “I never had any need for more elaborate braids. However…you look lovely.”</p>
<p>“Thank you!” Lucia smiled brightly, feeling her face heat up. “I could show you how, if you’d like? Or I could braid your hair for you?”</p>
<p>“I—” Alucard cut off, a faint pink blush creeping up his face. Lucia blushed herself, ducking her head. “I think I would like that, actually.”</p>
<p>Lucia smiled, gesturing for him to come over to her. Alucard moved, sitting cross-legged in front of her. She slowly ran her fingers through his hair, working through any tangles she came across, and gathering all of his hair behind his shoulders. Lucia hummed softly to herself, running her fingers through Alucard’s hair idly.</p>
<p><em>I have no pins right now to do something that would need them, and maybe two more pieces of cord to tie off a braid with, </em>Lucia thought. <em>Though…his hair might hold them together fairly well regardless, as it’s so thick. And soft, very soft. How is his hair so soft? </em>Lucia shook herself mentally, separating a section at the front of Alucard’s hair and beginning to braid. She hummed softly under her breath as she wove braids into his hair, occasionally twisting a few around each other, looping the ends together or under another braid. Once in a while she gently tilted Alucard’s head one way or another so she could braid a little easier.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Having Lucia’s hands in his hair was a soothing experience for Alucard. He hummed slightly, all but leaning into her touch, and let his eyes flutter shut. He smiled slightly when she began humming under her breath, a cheerful tune that was unfamiliar to Alucard.  </p>
<p><em>Oh my god, she’s playing with my hair, </em>he thought, and the personal, intimate nature of the act struck him all of a sudden. Alucard blushed furiously and barely resisted the urge to duck his head, the gentle tug on his hair as Lucia worked reminding him that she was, in fact, still working on his hair. He took a deep breath to steady himself, forcing himself to relax. <em>This is…nice, though, </em>he thought. <em>This feels very nice. Would she do this more often, if I asked her to? Would she let me do this for her? </em>Alucard flushed again at the thought.</p>
<p>Lucia squeezed his shoulders gently when she finished, and Alucard slowly raised one hand to the back of his head, curiously feeling around. His eyes widened at feeling all of his hair pulled back into an elaborately braided bun.</p>
<p>“Don’t fuss with it too much!” Lucia said, laughing. “I don’t have any pins to keep this in place right now.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Alucard said softly, lowering his hands, turning to look at Lucia over his shoulder. “How did you learn to do this?”</p>
<p>“I’ve worked as a ladies’ maid for…more than a few wealthy or noble women,” Lucia replied. “Particularly in Italian city-states, such elaborate hairstyles are popular among the upper classes who could afford to pay someone else to do their hair, and have time to sit for however long it takes to do so. I learned quickly and had a lot of practice.”</p>
<p>“I see,” Alucard murmured, nodding. “If the offer for you to teach me still stands, I would like to take you up on it sometime.”</p>
<p>“It does.” Lucia smiled brightly, and Alucard felt his heart pound in his chest.</p>
<p>“Do you remember that day I was sparring with Trevor?” Lucia asked later, as they packed up the basket and blanket to head back to the castle. She strapped her sword belt back on and turned to raise an eyebrow at Alucard.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard replied softly. He remembered the day <em>vividly, </em>remembered watching the friendly sparring match between Lucia and Trevor, and did not quite trust his voice not to crack as he spoke.</p>
<p>“I thought you and I could spar sometime, if you wanted to?” she asked as they walked. “I think it would be fun, at any rate.”</p>
<p>“I think so as well,” Alucard replied, giving a slightly strained smile.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Later that night found Alucard unable to sleep, sitting at his desk in his night shirt. He had borrowed the book Lucia had mentioned earlier, and the dark red cover with the Savona family crest emblazoned in a silver color stared up at him where it sat on the desk. Hesitantly, he picked up the book and began to read.</p>
<p>Near the end of the book began a family tree, tracing back to the family’s first known ancestors in the late eleventh century. The most recent entries, however, caught Alucard’s attention the most. <em>Julia Savona, Lucia’s mother, </em>Alucard read, tracing the name on the page. <em>She was born in 1431, had four siblings…</em>Alucard paused, his eyes widening. <em>She was disowned by her parents in 1454. </em></p>
<p>The entries in the book after that were written in different ink, with notably different handwriting. <em>Lucia Savona, dhampir, born 1454, found this book in 1476 and took the liberty of adding her own name to the family tree. Lucia would also have the record show that Chiara Savona, her mother Julia’s sister, is the only member of the family who did not disown Julia in 1454 and its, therefore, Lucia’s favorite aunt. </em>Alucard felt he barely read them as his mind reeled at the information.</p>
<p>Alucard let out a short chuckle. <em>Just like Lucia to do that, to stake her claim in the family’s legacy and proudly announce her existence in defiance of her mother’s parents, </em>he thought fondly. <em>But…Good God, the entire family—save for, apparently, her aunt Chiara—denounced her mother…because of her. </em>Alucard’s heart broke at the mere consideration of that fact. He ducked his head, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. <em>She...carries all this around, and seems to have dealt with it all on her own...And she's still been putting up with my nonsense and asking me how I've been...I've never done the same for her.</em> <em>Lucia doesn't deserve this, doesn’t deserve to have been dealt such a bad hand in life. She's far too kind to have such experiences. She deserves to have all the kindness she shows others returned to her. She deserves to feel wanted and loved. </em></p>
<p><em>I want to make her feel that way, </em>Alucard realized suddenly, biting his lower lip. <em>I…Perhaps I do love her, after all. </em> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>It is strange, to see her wearing such different clothes than usual, </em>Alucard mused as he watched Lucia draw a dark blue cloak around her shoulders. She pulled the cloak over a dress of a lighter blue color; one she had borrowed from what had been his mother’s wardrobe and altered to fit her properly. And that she had informed him—smiling brightly and excitedly—had large pockets she could use to carry everything she planned to buy on the short trip to Arges she was about to take. <em>A bit strange, but…She’s beautiful. She always is. </em></p>
<p>“I should be back this afternoon,” Lucia said quietly, fumbling with the ties of the cloak. They had gotten caught in a scarf she had wound around her neck. Alucard stepped forward to gently untangle them, tying the cloak for her and forcefully shoving back the part of his mind that entertained the idea of <em>untying </em>her cloak for her, or the laces at the front of her dress, or—Alucard shook his head slightly to dislodge the thought. Lucia tilted her head back to look up at him, smiling slightly. “This afternoon, probably a little after lunch. So, if you’re hungry, don’t wait for me.”</p>
<p>“If you insist,” he replied. “Though I will be sure to set a plate aside for you, should you be hungry when you return.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied. “Did you have any plans for today?”</p>
<p>“I am going to work on the lift I mentioned a few days ago, I’ve modified the design slightly to be able to get down into the hold. I may start the process of putting electric lights down there as well,” Alucard said. Lucia nodded, adjusting the scarf around her neck. “May I ask about the scarf? You and I both know that we do not feel cold to the same extent humans do. Even so it’s getting a bit warm for a scarf to be necessary.”</p>
<p>“It’s not for the cold,” Lucia replied, pulling the scarf up to wrap around her nose and her mouth, covering the bottom half of her face. “It’s for my fangs, so people in town don’t notice them.”</p>
<p>Alucard nodded, vaguely aware that he said something noncommittal in response. He was more focused, however, on the sharp sadness in his heart at how casually Lucia had said it, how commonplace it seemed for her, hiding so much of herself that she seemed used to it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia smiled to herself as she walked back up to the castle, returning from Arges. Her ears twitched slightly towards a rustling sound nearby, and she turned to see the now familiar light blonde cat walking a few feet behind her; following her, but still wary, and watching her curiously. <em>Finally caught on that I’m the one who’s feeding you, hmm?</em> Lucia thought as she looked back at the cat, laughing softly to herself as she heard the cat continue to follow her as she kept walking.</p>
<p>“How was your trip?” Alucard asked as Lucia approached the castle. He stood at the entrance to the Belmont hold, and Lucia raised her eyebrows slightly as she stared at the wooden lift he had built, counterbalanced, as he’d mentioned, with a large boulder.</p>
<p>“Successful, I’d say. I have plenty of fabric to work with now, and a few ideas in mind for what I’d like to make,” Lucia replied. “You’ve been busy.”</p>
<p>“I’ve finished the lift as well as much of the work for the lights,” Alucard said, turning toward her with a small smile on his face. He was quiet for a moment, and Lucia knit her eyebrows slightly as she watched a faint blush creep up his neck. “I was wondering if…You had mentioned the other day that you would like to spar with me. I was wondering if you’d like to do so now?”</p>
<p>“What, right now?” Lucia asked. Alucard nodded, his blush deepening slightly. Lucia glanced down at herself, then turned to grin widely at him. “Let me go change.”</p>
<p>Lucia changed as quickly as she could after setting aside the things she had bought in town, and a few minutes later found herself outside on the field in front of the castle with Alucard. He gave her a small nod as he drew his sword, and Lucia did the same, settling into a defensive stance. Lucia shifted to keep herself facing Alucard as he circled her for a moment, watching as if sizing her up.</p>
<p>“You’re waiting for me to attack first?” He mused. “Very well.”</p>
<p>Alucard disappeared in a flash of red, closing the distance between them and lunging to strike at Lucia. She swore under her breath, parrying the strike, her blade sliding along Alucard’s with the ringing sound of steel. Lucia stepped forward and to the side, jabbing at his ribs. Alucard was surprised; not enough to disengage their blades, but enough to give Lucia a moment to fan his blade away, moving around behind him, slashing at his legs. She continued to step around him, striking at his other side.</p>
<p>Alucard disappeared in a flash of red again, and Lucia whirled around to face him, blocking and ducking under his strike. She struck at his ribs as she did, and Alucard deflected the strike. Lucia disappeared in a flash of red to avoid Alucard’s next strike, reappearing at his side to strike, slashing at his ribs, then lower at his leg. Alucard hissed slightly as he moved back, and Lucia tilted her head back slightly. <em>Linear, </em>she noted. <em>He fights very linear. </em></p>
<p>Lucia lunged forward to strike, with the intention of moving in on a diagonal to get in close. Alucard moved back from her again, lifting himself into the air. Lucia made a face, suddenly forced to take a defensive approach as Alucard struck at her almost effortlessly, hovering in the air just out of her own reach. After a few moments, Alucard backflipped and landed behind her, turning to strike at her side. Lucia parried the strike, but the force of it drove her back a few steps.</p>
<p>Lucia narrowed her eyes at him, drawing his blade down and fanning it away in a wide arc, stepping forward with a strike directly at Alucard’s throat, her blade hovering just next to his neck. She paused slightly as she felt the cool steel of Alucard’s sword at her throat as well. Lucia grinned, and the two stared at each other for a long moment before Lucia laughed softly. Alucard raised an eyebrow at her, but chuckled as well, and they both lowered their blades.</p>
<p>“You are a very skilled fighter,” Alucard said after a moment.</p>
<p>“Thank you!” Lucia smiled brightly, brushing back a stray piece of hair that had fallen out of her braid. “You also fight very well…But noticeably like someone who learned swordplay in a more academic environment.”</p>
<p>Alucard raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat affronted. Lucia smiled sheepishly, sheathing her sword. Alucard’s affronted look intensified, and he tilted his head slightly as he sheathed his own sword.</p>
<p>“How so?” he asked after a moment, looking curiously at her and offering her his arm as they started walking towards the castle. Lucia smiled, taking his arm.</p>
<p>“You fight in a very linear pattern,” Lucia explained. “Which makes it more difficult to defend your sides and your back. Someone could fight you into a corner that way. It’s also very predictable.”</p>
<p>“Interesting,” Alucard said softly. “As opposed to your fighting style, which baffles me as it somehow manages to be both graceful and utterly without a discernable pattern.”</p>
<p>“That’s the point,” Lucia replied. “It wouldn’t do to let my opponents have that sort of advantage over me, being able to tell what I’m going to do.” Alucard hummed slightly in response.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Do you remember when you told me of your mother?” Alucard asked softly over dinner. “When you mentioned that Belmont had found a book about your family’s history in the Hold, and you gave me the book to read if I wanted to?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia replied, knitting her eyebrows as she looked at him. <em>Did he read through it? </em>She wondered. <em>Is that why he’s bringing it up? </em></p>
<p>“I…was able to read a bit of it, last night,” Alucard said. “I found the notes you added, about yourself, about your mother, and your aunt Chiara.”</p>
<p>“Did you?” Lucia asked, smiling slightly. Alucard nodded, and his hand moved slightly where it rested on the table, as if he wanted to reach out to her, but decided against it.</p>
<p>“I did. And I…it dawned on me how difficult it must be for you, to have your mother’s entire family denounce the both of you,” he said. “If...you ever wanted to talk about it...I can't promise I'll be as much help to you as you've been to me, but I will do my best, and I'll be here to listen.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Alucard,” Lucia replied, giving a small smile. “I…I never got to know them, so it doesn’t hurt me the same way I know it hurt mamma. If her family never wanted me to start with, I don't quite count it as a loss. But...I am a little sad, sometimes, that I never got to know them, and it sometimes makes me upset that they wouldn't even give me a chance. Mostly when I think about them, I get angry about they did what they did to mamma. Tia Chiara was the only one willing to help her, and she was already living in Castile at the time, so there wasn't much she could do, until mamma and I went to live with her when I was…about seventeen.”</p>
<p>Alucard nodded, and was quiet for a long moment. He took a drink from his glass of wine, biting his lip slightly before he spoke again. “I noticed you also added when your mother died,” he said quietly.</p>
<p>“I…” Lucia trailed off, taking a deep and slightly shaky breath. “I was there when it happened. I tried to stop them, but it did no good, and the Bishop had some of the local men restrain me once he realized what I am. I…I was quite literally going to be next.” Lucia made a face at how her voice broke on the last words. “Mamma told me to go, to get away from there, so…once I had the chance, I did. She made me run, told me to leave her there so that I could live. Every day I lived felt like stolen time, and I…I blamed myself for her death for months. I told myself, eventually, that the last thing she would have wanted was for me to feel responsible for her death. I still tell myself that sometimes, when I feel…bad, about it all, like if I had just done more, or fought harder, or <em>something</em>, that I would have been able to save her.”</p>
<p>Alucard reached across the table to take her hands, squeezing them gently. Lucia looked up at him, giving him a watery smile as she felt tears form in her eyes. Alucard was quiet for a moment, opening his mouth and closing it again. Lucia raised an eyebrow at him.</p>
<p>“You did all that you could,” he said quietly. “You deserved so much better from life than what you were given at the start, but there was nothing more you could have done. I think you told me something similar, once. That you have to stop feeling guilty for situations outside your control, and learn that the results of said situations are not your fault.”</p>
<p>Lucia gave a short laugh, squeezing his hands slightly. “You put it a bit more elegantly.”</p>
<p>“I think you put it much more helpfully,” Alucard said dryly. Lucia rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>“Thank you for this, Alucard,” she said softly.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Alucard replied, squeezing her hands gently. “I…Admittedly I had not considered before now that…everything we’ve done…might bring up painful memories for you as well, and I had not thought to ask. But…if you ever need to talk, I will be here.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia hummed to herself, a quick, lively song she remembered from festivals she and her mother had been to as they traveled, as she pinned together the beginnings of a new dress. One of the fabrics she had bought bolts of in Arges was a rich, dark red she had been particularly drawn to, and bought with every intention of making a dress for herself. She continued to pin the pieces for the dress together, and soon began sewing, swearing vehemently under her breath every time she pricked her fingers with any of the pins or needles.</p><p><em>It’s because I have not done this in ages, only mended my own clothes that were already made. Poor Nicolosia would be so disappointed in me, </em>Lucia grumbled internally, smiling at the memory of the seamstress she had apprenticed under in Venice. After another half hour or so of sewing and occasionally stabbing her fingers, Lucia put the dress aside, promising herself she would work more on it later. A spool of grey-silver colored thread caught her eye as she put the sewing aside, and Lucia briefly toyed with the idea of embroidering the dress when it was finished before shaking herself from that line of thought and leaving the room in search of Alucard.</p><p>Lucia found Alucard in one of the libraries. He sat at a table with a large book open in front of him, murmuring slightly under his breath as he read. Lucia smiled slightly, gently trailing her fingers across his shoulder as she passed him. Alucard paused, lifting his head to raise an eyebrow at her as she sat next to him.</p><p>“What are you reading?” Lucia asked, tilting her head slightly.</p><p>“Poetry by an ancient Greek poet,” Alucard replied. “Her name was Sappho.”</p><p>“Would you read to me again?” Lucia asked quietly, looking up at Alucard. He raised his eyebrows, tilting his head slightly at her, bemused for a moment before the expression shifted to confusion.</p><p>“You and I both know that you do not speak Greek,” he pointed out.</p><p>“No,” Lucia agreed, leaning forward to rest her chin on one hand. “But you seemed utterly entranced by whatever it is you’re reading, and I <em>am</em> curious.”</p><p> “I’m sure there are translations into a language we both speak.” Alucard chuckled slightly, closing the book and pushing it back on the table. He paused, glancing at Lucia with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, smirking slightly. “Italian, perhaps? If, of course, you’ll forgive me for how badly I am liable to butcher the language.”</p><p>Lucia laughed at that. Alucard chuckled softly, smiling at her as he got up from the table, disappearing down one of the aisles of bookshelves in the library. He returned a few moments later with another large book. Alucard smiled at her as he sat down, and when Lucia leaned over to read over his shoulder, she recognized it as written in Florentine Italian. Alucard glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, quirking an eyebrow.</p><p><em>“Without warning, As a whirlwind, Swoops on an oak, Love shakes my heart,” </em>Alucard read. Lucia smiled as she listened, her chin still propped up on one hand, her other arm on the table, idly toying with the end of her braid. “Silently judging me already, are you, Lucia?”</p><p>“Not at all.” Lucia laughed slightly. She looked thoughtfully at him for a moment, smirking. “Though…I may need to hear you speak a little more before I make a decision. Read some more for me? Please?”</p><p>“If I must.” Alucard rolled his eyes, smiling. <em>“Blest as the immortal gods is he, The youth whose eyes may look on thee, Whose ears thy tongue's sweet melody, May still devour…” </em></p><p>Lucia tuned out the exact words as Alucard read, focusing instead on the low, smooth lilt of his voice as he spoke. <em>His Italian may actually be perfect, from a grammatic and syntactic perspective, </em>Lucia thought. Her gaze dropped to his lips, watching them form the words as he spoke, and she was struck with the sudden desire to kiss him, to feel his lips move against hers. Lucia shook herself mentally, refocusing as Alucard continued. <em>His accent, however, is…distinctly Wallachian, </em>she thought, smiling slightly when she caught him looking at her. <em>It’s…sweet, endearing. I’d almost say it was cute. </em></p><p> “Well, your grammar and syntax are perfect,” Lucia said softly once Alucard had finished reading. “As well as most of your pronunciation.”</p><p>“Most of it?” Alucard asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“You do have a distinctly Wallachian accent when you speak Italian,” Lucia replied.</p><p>“Oh?” Alucard tilted his head slightly.</p><p>“It’s not a bad thing!” Lucia added quickly. “Everyone does, in a language that’s not their mother tongue.”</p><p>“Well then…” Alucard trailed off, smirking slightly. Suddenly he pushed the book he had been reading from over to her. “Perhaps <em>you</em> will read for <em>me,</em> and let me hear how the language is meant to be spoken?”</p><p>“Gladly,” Lucia replied, smiling brightly. <em>“He seems to be a god, that man, Facing you, who leans to be close, Smiles, and, alert and glad, listens, To your mellow voice, And quickens in love at your laughter…” </em></p><hr/><p><em>Okay, that’s it. I cannot do this anymore, </em>Lucia thought as she and Alucard finished cleaning up from dinner. A heavy, uncomfortable tension had hung in the air between them since the afternoon, since they had spent it reading in the library. <em>I cannot keep…not talking about this…romantic tension? That’s been there between us, especially now, but since that day in the library. </em></p><p>“Alucard?” Lucia asked quietly, turning to face him. She bit the inside of her cheek, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before she spoke. “Can we talk? I feel like we’ve been avoiding talking about that day in the library, before Trevor and Sypa left…When I kissed you?”</p><p>Alucard froze, and Lucia winced slightly. He stared, eyes wide, though Lucia noticed a faint blush tinting his cheeks. After a long moment, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. “I…I have not been able to stop thinking about it.”</p><p>“I beg your pardon?” Lucia asked, pursing her lips and raising an eyebrow at him.</p><p>“No, I—in a good way,” Alucard said quickly, beginning to reach out to her with one hand before drawing back and looking away from her. “I enjoyed it…I enjoy kissing you. And I’ve been…thinking about it, dare I say daydreaming about it, ever since.”</p><p>“I—” Lucia cut off, blushing furiously. <em>He daydreams about kissing me? </em>She wondered frantically. “Alucard, I think I’m in love with you.”</p><p>Alucard froze for a moment, but smiled and hesitantly reached out to take Lucia’s hands. Lucia smiled back at him, squeezing his hands slightly.</p><p>“I love you, too, Lucia,” Alucard murmured, golden eyes boring into Lucia’s.</p><p>Alucard bit his bottom lip, fangs pricking the skin just slightly, and hesitantly leaned in towards her. Lucia leaned in slightly, looking up at him when he paused, as if waiting for her to close the distance between them. Lucia smiled, pulling herself up onto her toes and leaning in to kiss him softly, letting her eyes flutter shut. Alucard made a small sound of surprise in the back of his throat, but leaned into the kiss. After a moment, he hesitantly let go of Lucia’s hands, gently wrapping his arms around her wait to pull her closer. Lucia smiled into the kiss, her own hands landing on Alucard’s chest.</p><p>“I love you,” she murmured as she pulled back, leaning her forehead against Alucard’s.</p><p>“And I, you,” Alucard replied. “Though I was not always certain of it.”</p><p>“No?” Lucia asked, knitting her eyebrows slightly.</p><p>“No,” Alucard agreed. “If you had asked me about these feelings not two weeks ago, I would not have known how to respond…I was grieving—I still am—but moreso I felt responsible, <em>guilty</em>, for what had happened. And I felt very guilty about my feelings for you as well. It felt…wrong, to want to be happy. It felt wrong to think of you like <em>this</em>…” Alucard trailed off, raising one hand to gently cup Lucia’s cheek. “When nearly every waking moment—and many of my sleeping ones—were haunted by my parents’ deaths. Largely due to you, Lucia, and your influence, I’ve come to realize that there was nothing more to do that I hadn’t tried already…That I’m…allowed to be happy, to want to be happy, and that I can do so without disrespecting the memory of my parents.”</p><p>Lucia let huffed a short, almost breathless sigh, and she moved to pull Alucard into a hug. She turned her head to rest her cheek against his chest, listening to his heartbeat for a long moment. “I’m…I’m sure you would have realized it on your own eventually,” she murmured.</p><p>“Perhaps,” Alucard replied. “Though I likely would have brooded over it for another month without you. Lucia I…I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too,” Lucia said softly, pulling back to smile brightly up at him.</p><p>Alucard smirked playfully at her suddenly. Lucia raised an eyebrow, eyeing him warily. “I also love kissing you, and I was wondering if you might—”</p><p>Lucia laughed, cradling his face in her hands. She stood up on her toes again, pulling Alucard into another kiss, and she felt him smile against her lips.</p><hr/><p>Fernando hated snow. The immunity to cold afforded by his immortality had not swayed him on the matter in the least. <em>And this hell march may have only made it worse, </em>he thought, watching as Carmilla drifted away from him, walking ahead towards the entourage that had come down from the castle to meet the troops at the gate. He shook out his shoulder-length, black hair, straightening his back as he approached them in time to catch the end of the conversation.</p><p>“I’ve spent the last ten days of that hell march wondering if I would die of hunger or sheer bloody rage before I got home, and wondering if you’d still be waiting for me,” Carmilla said, taking the hands of the two vampire women who had come to the gate with the guards.</p><p>One was incredibly tall and muscular—even Fernando had to tilt his head back to look up at her face—with long, dark hair and green eyes. She wore a dark cloak over a tunic, leggings, and sturdy boots. <em>A warrior, for certain. Perhaps Carmilla’s top general? </em>Fernando wondered. The other woman was seemingly her polar opposite. She wore a dark blue dress and a white fur cloak, and her long red hair was braided back from her face.</p><p>“Where’s Morana?” Carmilla asked.</p><p>“She awaits us inside. Come on,” the redheaded woman said. “Then perhaps you’ll give us a proper introduction to your new friend?” she added, inclining her head to Fernando.</p><p>“Ah, yes,” Carmilla said, looking back at him. “Lenore, Striga…This is Fernando Terrazas. He was likely the only halfway competent general in Dracula’s war court and he <em>might</em> be the only person between here and Braila I haven’t fantasized about murdering sometime in the last month. My plans include him as well, and his knowledge of fighting and battle strategy. Striga…” Carmilla trailed off, nodding towards the tall woman with dark hair. “You and Morana should get along with him.”</p><p>“It is an honor to meet you,” Fernando said, bowing with a flourish. “I look forward to working together. Carmilla’s plan is truly brilliant, and I am…eager to begin.”</p><p>“I can’t wait to hear all about it,” Lenore replied. “And more about you, Fernando, since it seems you left Dracula’s war court to join us. Though perhaps not out here, hmm? Let’s get you both inside.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>: Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What did you say these were?” Lucia asked, tilting her head curiously at the plant and its round, red fruits. Similar plants nearby bore the same fruits in different sizes. Alucard sat on a table in the greenhouse, possibly the only spot without potted plants on it, with a book open in his lap. <em>Probably looking for the map he promised to show me, the one with the whole continent on the other side of the sea, </em>Lucia thought.</p>
<p>“Those are tomatoes,” Alucard replied, smiling slightly as he looked up.</p>
<p>“Tomatoes,” Lucia echoed, furrowing her eyebrows at the strange word. “What do they taste like? Have you had them? What can we cook with them?”</p>
<p>“I have had them, yes,” Alucard replied, hopping off the table to his feet, approaching where Lucia stood in front of a potted tomato plant. He plucked one of the small, almost grape-sized tomatoes off the plant and popped it into his mouth. Lucia watched for a moment as his lips closed around the fruit, before forcing herself to look back up to his eyes. “They’re good, you should try one. If you like them, there are several recipes in that book that require the use of tomatoes.”</p>
<p>“Are there?” Lucia replied, carefully picking a small tomato. Alucard quirked an eyebrow at her as she ate it. It was a bright, refreshing, sharp, and almost savory taste. Lucia hummed excitedly, eyes lighting up. “I like them! Can I see the recipe book?”</p>
<p>Alucard chuckled slightly, but beckoned Lucia over to the table where he had been sitting and passing the book to her. Lucia took Alucard’s seat on the table, paging through the book, vaguely aware the he was standing nearby and looking over her shoulder. She paused briefly at a map that detailed the other continent Alucard had mentioned, with notes about where certain plants had come from. Lucia murmured under her breath for a moment, studying the map in slight awe.</p>
<p>“Did you think I was joking when I told you my father had traveled to an entire continent on the other side of the sea?” Alucard asked, raising an eyebrow. Lucia rolled her eyes, nudging him gently with her elbow.</p>
<p>“No, but…this is incredible,” Lucia said softly, paging past the map for more recipes, pausing again as she read one of them. “Wait, here, something with tomatoes. It’s…Is this some kind of sauce?”</p>
<p>“It would appear so,” Alucard said, leaning in to read over her shoulder. “Would you like to try it?” he asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.</p>
<p>“Yes, I think so,” Lucia replied, smiling. Alucard returned the smile, leaning in to press a quick kiss to her lips. Lucia smiled as they pulled back. “Before we start with that, however, I think I’m going to take that strawberry plant outside.”</p>
<p>“By all means,” Alucard said.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled brightly, hopping off the table. She grabbed a small, handheld shovel from a nearby table, and carefully picked up the pot with the strawberry plant before rushing down to the door. There, she paused, picking up a now-familiar scent, the blonde cat that had begun following her around. Lucia chuckled slightly, rushing into the kitchen to grab a small piece of dried meat, and headed outside.</p>
<p>The cat was, in fact, lingering near the bottom of the stairs, chasing a leaf that was blowing in the breeze. Lucia chuckled slightly, setting the pot down in a patch of earth she had dug up for it the other day. As she worked to replant the strawberries, the cat slowly crept towards her, carefully nosing at her hands or the small pouch on her belt, where she was keeping the dried meat. Lucia laughed softly, slowly reaching to pet the cat’s chest, reaching up to scratch behind her ears. The cat leaned into the pets, making a soft, almost purring sound, and Lucia moved to give her the piece of dried meat. The cat took it from her hand and trotted a few feet away to eat it, glancing at Lucia periodically as she did.</p>
<p>“Honestly, Lucia, you may as well <em>name </em>her at this point,” Alucard said dryly. Lucia turned to see him standing at the front door of the castle, leaning against it with his arms loosely crossed over his chest. Lucia hummed thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“How about Clarissa?” she asked after a moment.</p>
<p>“Wait—” Alucard paused. “Wait, no, I did not mean to <em>actually</em> do it, Lucia.”</p>
<p>“Too late,” Lucia said with a laugh. “I’ve named her.”</p>
<p>“So I see,” Alucard said, rolling his eyes. “Fortunately, I also rather like the name you’ve chosen for her.”</p>
<p>“So, you’re adopting her too now?” Lucia asked, smiling as she quirked an eyebrow at Alucard, gathering up the now-empty pot and her shovel and walking back towards the castle. The cat—Clarissa, now—followed a few feet behind her.</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Alucard replied. Lucia laughed, smiling at him, just a touch smug. “Nevermind, I’m not. You’re absolutely insufferable.” Alucard rolled his eyes, smirking just slightly. “What am I going to do with you, Lucia?”</p>
<p>“You love me,” Lucia said, pulling herself up onto her toes to kiss his cheek.</p>
<p>“I do,” Alucard murmured as they headed back inside.</p>
<p>The recipe Alucard and Lucia had found earlier was, in fact, a sauce, and it smelled <em>delicious. </em>Lucia inhaled deeply as she stirred the pot. Alucard stood next to her, one hand hovering at her shoulder.</p>
<p>“What are we going to do now that we have a whole pot of this?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“I’m…not sure. Excuse me for a moment,” he said. He disappeared with a flash of red, returning a moment later with a book, which he opened and spread out on the kitchen table. “Put it on bread?” he said hesitantly.</p>
<p>“What?” Lucia furrowed her eyebrows.</p>
<p>“One of these recipes for the sauce says to put it on bread, and add cheese, and then bake it,” Alucard said softly, knitting his eyebrows as he read. “Well…I can’t see it tasting bad…and we have bread and cheese.”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Lucia said, shrugging one shoulder. “Why not?”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The bread concoction did not take long to put together. Alucard and Lucia ate it for dinner that evening, murmuring about how they could make more of the recipes from that book, and hopefully find something else to do with the rest of the sauce they had made.</p>
<p>After they had eaten and cleaned up the kitchen, Alucard sat in the living room with a book. Lucia joined him a few minutes later with a basket that was rapidly becoming her stash of sewing supplies. She began working with what Alucard guessed was a dress, in a rich, dark red fabric he was certain would look stunning on her when it was finished. He blushed slightly at the thought, turning his attention back to his book. A comfortable, companionable silence fell over them, and Alucard felt a certain kind of peace, even as he recalled sitting in this room with his parents during quiet evenings, reading with them while they sat together on the sofa, or sitting on the floor as a child playing with toys with them.  </p>
<p>Alucard’s ears twitched suddenly, and he heard Lucia murmuring to herself in what he was beginning to more easily recognize as Florentine Italian, her native language. She paused her sewing with the dress, reaching into the basket for another bolt of fabric. It was gold in color, shimmering slightly when Lucia held it up to the fading sunlight as if studying it—studying <em>him,</em> Alucard realized as her piercing blue eyes flicked between the fabric and himself. Alucard raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly.</p>
<p>“I think this would look good on you?” Lucia said, unfolding the fabric a bit. “I think I’d like to make you something with it.”</p>
<p>“I—Thank you, but you don’t have to,” Alucard said, feeling his face heat up slightly.  </p>
<p>“I want to, though,” Lucia said. “Here, stand up.”</p>
<p>Alucard felt his heart pounding in his chest as Lucia pulled him to his feet. She pulled a length of measuring tape from the basket, gently, but deftly, moving to use it to measure him, wrapping it around his arms, his neck. She paused briefly to transfer some of the measurements to the fabric, returning to drape the piece she had cut for the shirt over his head.</p>
<p>“Hold still,” Lucia murmured, moving to begin pinning the fabric.</p>
<p><em>How? </em>Alucard wondered. His breath hitched as Lucia trailed her hands across his chest to place another few pins at his shoulders and under his arms. <em>How am I supposed to keep still when you’re standing right here with your hands on me and all I’d like is to kiss you? </em></p>
<p>Lucia chuckled slightly, and Alucard froze, hoping he had not said that out loud. The gleam in Lucia’s eyes and mischievous smirk she turned on him told him otherwise.</p>
<p>“Have you never been fitted for a shirt before?” she asked. “That’s not usually how it works.”</p>
<p>“I have,” Alucard replied, rolling his eyes even as he felt himself blush furiously. “But never by someone I’m so very attracted to?”</p>
<p>“Nice recovery, I’ll admit, but save it for just a minute while I finish this,” Lucia said absently, placing the last of her pins in the fabric and taking a small step back to look at him. “How does that feel—Wait what?” She looked up at him, wide-eyed.</p>
<p>“I cannot believe sass is your first instinct,” Alucard said, laughing slightly.</p>
<p> “I can...” Lucia rolled her eyes slightly. “But let's revisit the part where you are, and I quote, very attracted to me.”</p>
<p>Alucard paused, opening and closing his mouth for a moment, blushing again. “Well,” he said finally. “It’s true. You’re beautiful, Lucia.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied, smiling, and her cheeks flushed pink.</p>
<p>“May I kiss you?” Alucard asked once Lucia had taken the pinned fabric off him.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled brightly, nodding. Alucard stepped forward, gently taking her hands and leaning down to capture her lips in a kiss. Lucia squeezed his hands, pulling herself up on her toes to lean into the kiss. Alucard smiled against her lips, and she brought her hands up to gently cradle his face. Alucard floundered uncertainly, his hands dropping to his sides.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Lucia asked as she pulled back.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard said quickly, his hands catching her shoulders. “I just…I’ve never had a romantic partner before. And as such, I…do not have experience kissing anyone like this. What…What should I do with my hands?” he asked quietly, glancing down and hoping his hair falling over his shoulder would hide just how much he was blushing at the admission.</p>
<p>“It’s alright, Alucard,” Lucia said softly, brushing his hair back from his face, tucking a strand behind his hair. “And you’re allowed to…to touch me.”</p>
<p>“I—” Alucard’s eyes widened slightly. <em>I would love to, </em>he thought. <em>I would love to run my hands through your hair, or hold your face in my hands, wrap my arms around your waist and pull you close to me…But I hadn’t known you wanted me to. I was…afraid to push you too far, to overwhelm you. </em></p>
<p>“Well then,” Alucard said hesitantly. “May I try again?”</p>
<p>Lucia nodded, smiling brightly. Alucard brought his hands up to cup her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, leaning in to kiss her again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The council room Lenore led them to was as elegant as the rest of the castle, with high vaulted ceilings and long arching lines in both its décor and its architecture. A fire crackled in the fireplace where it stood in front of a round table with four high-backed chairs. A fourth vampire woman stood near the entrance to the room with a wine glass of blood, dressed in gold and royal blue. She had a dark complexion, wavy dark brown hair swept back from her face, and striking blue eyes. <em>Morana, </em>Fernando guessed, politely inclining his head as they entered the room.</p>
<p>“There you are, Morana,” Carmilla said. “It’s good to see you again.”</p>
<p>Morana looked up, arching an eyebrow and chuckling slightly. “You’re late.”</p>
<p>“Thirty days slogging through—” Carmilla began, gesturing with one hand.</p>
<p>“To make terrible time,” Morana interrupted. “We stationed our forces within a day’s ride of Braila. Where are the horses?”</p>
<p>“Killed by insane humans with pointy sticks,” Carmilla replied, turning to face Morana, her pale hair whirling around her face. “And half a dozen packs of starving night creatures. And eaten. And every other <em>fucking</em> thing. The plan couldn’t have gone more wrong.”</p>
<p>“You’ll be wanting a drink, then,” Morana said, offering her glass to Carmilla with an amused smile. Carmilla took the glass and drank deeply.  </p>
<p>“Virgin’s blood. Oh, bless your dead little hearts. You do still love me,” she said.</p>
<p>“Welcome home, Carmilla. We’re all so glad to have you back with us,” Morana said. “And glad to welcome you, if you’ll forgive us for being distracted by Carmilla’s theatrics for a moment and allow me to ask for a proper introduction?” she turned, raising an eyebrow at Fernando.</p>
<p>“There is nothing to forgive, my lady,” Fernando replied, smiling, and he bowed with a flourish. “My name is Fernando Terrazas <em>de Castile y L</em><em>é</em><em>on. </em>I am the vampire leader of that region, and the surrounding regions of what is now Spain.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Morana said slowly. “I had heard the humans had consolidated regional power under a monarchy in that area.”</p>
<p>“They are also finally very close to completing <em>La Reconquista,</em>” Fernando added. “Something I never truly thought I would see, even with the gift of immortality, and I fought in the wars of <em>La Reconquista</em> more than two hundred years ago, in my youth.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know the vampire social structure of that region had shifted,” Lenore said. “Last I heard there were several small kingdoms squabbling for power.”</p>
<p>“I did my job well.” Fernando grinned.</p>
<p>“Oh? How so?” Lenore asked, tilting her head slightly.</p>
<p>“When I rose to power in <em>Castilla </em>there was…political discord in the vampire community of Spain,” Fernando explained.</p>
<p>“Not a particularly good first impression if you’re trying to convince us you’re as competent a general as Carmilla says,” Striga said, crossing her arms over her chest.</p>
<p>“Perhaps. But, you see, political discord allows for a more…<em>absolute </em>ruler to take control,” Fernando said, choosing his words carefully. Morana quirked an eyebrow, looking intrigued. “If a tactician plays his—or <em>her—</em>cards right, he can either quell the discord or use it to further confuse and divide his enemies.”</p>
<p>“And you did?” Carmilla asked, skeptically. “One of those two things.”</p>
<p>“Both would make for a much more effective strategy,” Morana commented.</p>
<p>“I agree. And so, I did both,” Fernando said, nodding towards Morana. “Which is to say that yes, I did. I’m the one who was summoned to Dracula’s war court, was I not? And saw something of a kindred spirit, and the only other person in that damned castle who seemed concerned with effectively directing the war, when Carmilla arrived. If I had not seized power in Spain, another regional ruler would have, would have been summoned to Dracula’s war court for their efforts, and I would certainly not be here to be having this conversation with you.”</p>
<p>“Why? Would they have killed you?” Lenore asked.</p>
<p>“That is what I did,” Fernando replied, shrugging one shoulder.</p>
<p>“He can stay,” Striga said decisively.</p>
<p>“Will you be wanting a drink as well?” Morana asked, smirking.</p>
<p>“Only if you’re offering,” Fernando said with a smile.</p>
<hr/>
<p><em>I do hope Lucia wasn’t joking when she said she knew recipes for strawberry jams and pastries and such, </em>Alucard thought idly, walking past the strawberry patch on his way out into the forest towards the river. <em>If they continue to grow like that, we may have more strawberries than we know what to do with…Or we’ll end up with an abundance of strawberry-based desserts. Fortunate indeed, then, that I’ve grown very fond of Lucia’s cooking. </em></p>
<p>Alucard smiled to himself at the thought, closing his eyes for a moment and enjoying the breeze across his face, winding through his hair, and the refreshing warmth of the spring sunlight on his face. His ears twitched towards a soft rustling sound, and he chuckled slightly when Clarissa poked her head out of the bushes and looked curiously at him. She came over to him carefully, trotting alongside him and likely smelling the bit of dried meat in his basket that he had brought for her. Alucard took out said dried meat from the basket, bending down to give it to Clarissa, who took it, nudging his hand slightly as she ate. Alucard scratched behind her ears before standing.</p>
<p>“God, I really have adopted you, haven’t I? Perhaps you need a bell or something so we know where you are,” Alucard mused, watching Clarissa out of the corner of his eye as she continued to follow him on his path through the forest. “Perhaps a ribbon, so I know which stray cat is you; I have no intention of adopting any more.”</p>
<p>Clarissa followed Alucard through his whole walk through the forest, pausing to wait even when he stopped to pick berries and wild garlic, or catch fish at the river. She followed him all the way back to the castle, where he found Lucia outside, practicing her swordplay.</p>
<p>Alucard paused, watching her. He had known that she was a formidable fighter; she had to be to have survived everything he knew she had, and to not only have matched, but <em>beaten </em>both himself and Trevor in sparring matches. Still, he had not gotten the chance to stop and watch Lucia as she fought. She moved with such grace and precision that Alucard found himself rethinking his earlier position that her fighting style was unpredictable.</p>
<p><em>Fluid, adaptable, perhaps unpredictable, but…I’m beginning to see why she values that in her fighting, </em>Alucard thought as he studied her, watching her muscles move, how her sword truly seemed like an extension of herself. He wondered briefly how she might work with an enchanted blade like his own, that he could control with just a thought.</p>
<p>“You seem to have a shadow,” Lucia called, pausing when she caught sight of him and brushing back a lock of her wavy, black hair that had fallen out of its braid. Alucard snickered slightly as he glanced back to find Clarissa still hovering nearby, stretched out in the warm afternoon sun.</p>
<p>“It seems I’ve had a shadow all afternoon, in that case,” he replied, smiling.</p>
<p>“Who’s adopting her now?” Lucia asked with a short laugh, sheathing her sword in one fluid motion and walking over to him. Alucard caught her hand, tracing his fingers lightly up her forearm as he leaned down to kiss her. She smiled into the kiss, and laced their fingers together when she pulled back. “What should we make for dinner?”</p>
<p>“I’ve caught two perfectly good fish specifically for the purpose of making them for dinner,” Alucard replied, smiling when Lucia’s eyes lit up.</p>
<p>“Oooh,” she murmured. “Yes, we could do that.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Lucia, have you seen the ballroom yet?” Alucard asked over dinner. Lucia’s eyes widened slightly, and Alucard quirked an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“The castle has a ballroom?” Lucia asked in reply.</p>
<p>“I’ll take that as a no,” Alucard said, chuckling slightly when Lucia rolled her eyes at him. Alucard paused for a moment, uncertain. He had thought about this question a bit, wondering about opening the ballroom simply to dance with Lucia—though, perhaps daydreaming may have been a better word for it. “I was wondering if we shouldn’t open the ballroom, perhaps. It seems like a shame to let it sit empty, even if it would only be us dancing.”</p>
<p>“I…” Lucia trailed off, and Alucard could practically see the thoughts racing in her mind. “I’m not sure we know any of the same dances.”</p>
<p>“I could show you,” he offered, reaching across the table to take her hand. “Or you could teach me some of the ones you’re familiar with. I know you’d sooner be caught dead than wear a gown if you didn’t have to—”</p>
<p>“I’m not <em>quite </em>that bad.” Lucia cut him off with a laugh. “But I have never been to a fancy ball before. I... I was always downstairs during those sorts of parties. Once, when I worked for some French nobleman whose name I cannot remember, a few of the other kitchen girls and I snuck upstairs to watch the dancing once we finished cleaning up the kitchen and sorting through any leftover food. I remember we all fawned over the women's dresses, what with their expensive fabrics and bright colors. And then when I worked with Nicolosia in Venice I never wore the more elaborate, expensive gowns we were making.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Alucard asked, intrigued, but also suddenly distracted by the thought of Lucia wearing a gown, all silk and rich embroidery and that dark shade of red that he always thought looked lovely on her. Alucard shook himself mentally. “I find it a little difficult to imagine you being excited over dresses.”</p>
<p>Lucia gave a short chuckle, rolling her eyes. “It <em>has</em> been known to happen, on occasion. I never wore them often when mamma and I were traveling; I would truly hate to have to fight while wearing one. And you must know by now that I wear dresses when I have to go into the market because they have much more spacious pockets to carry things.”</p>
<p>“Fair point,” Alucard said softly.</p>
<p>“But I do enjoy them too, sometimes,” Lucia said, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>“Well then,” Alucard said, reaching across the table to take Lucia’s hand, tracing his thumb across her knuckles. “I think we’ll have to open the ballroom, and have a dance, just for us.”</p>
<p>“I’d like that,” Lucia replied, smiling brightly.</p>
<p>Alucard found himself in one of the libraries late that night, unable to sleep. His mind was racing, now that he had a moment to think, particularly about what Lucia had said to him the previous night. <em>She didn’t even blink when I told her I’d never kissed anyone like that before her, </em>Alucard thought. <em>She brushed my hair back and told me it was all right…and then she asked me to touch her. </em>Alucard’s heart pounded in his chest at the thought, and he felt his face heat up. <em>What if Lucia asks me for something more intense, more intimate? I…want to. I would want to if she asked it of me. Even though I’ve never been…physically intimate with someone before, either. I’ve been taught about the mechanics of sex and pleasure…Perhaps I should read more on the subject. I…I would want Lucia to enjoy herself as well. </em></p>
<p>“Well,” Alucard murmured to himself. “I <em>am </em>already in the library, and there is no time like the present. I might as well…”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Lucia,” Alucard said, setting down a basket of strawberries on the kitchen table. “What on earth are we going to do with all of these?”</p>
<p>Lucia hummed softly, reaching into the basket to grab a strawberry. She took a bite, closing her eyes for a moment to relish the refreshing crunch as she bit into the fruit, the sweetness of it. <em>God how long has it been since I’ve eaten strawberries? </em>She wondered, a memory surfacing of her mother and her Tia Chiara making strawberry jam for tarts.</p>
<p>“We eat them, obviously,” Lucia said, peering into the basket to gauge how many they had. “We might be able to get a small batch of strawberry jam from this. My mother and my aunt used to make tarts with strawberry jam, and I happen to remember how to do it.”</p>
<p>“That sounds delicious,” Alucard said with a small smile. “I’ve also simply eaten strawberries as they are. Perhaps with some cream, which we can also make.”</p>
<p>“Both?” Lucia suggested, quirking an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Both sounds lovely,” Alucard replied. “If we have enough strawberries.” <br/><br/>“If not, we still have the rest of the season for them,” Lucia said, shrugging one shoulder.</p>
<p>There was a sudden crackling sound, and the familiar feel of magic in the air. Lucia stood up straight suddenly, focusing all her senses on the magic that seemed strangely familiar. A moment later, a letter, neatly folded and sealed with wax appeared on the kitchen table. Lucia raised an eyebrow warily at it. <em>What the fuck? Where did that come from? Who sent it? Why does this magic feel familiar, somehow? </em>She wondered.</p>
<p>Alucard reached hesitantly for the letter, elongating his talons on one finger to break the seal before opening it. His eyebrows furrowed as he read, and Lucia watched him curiously as his expression shifted to one of dawning realization, then relief. Alucard chuckled slightly, passing the letter—that had turned out to be two, in fact—to Lucia.</p>
<p>“Letters from Trevor and Sypha,” he explained. Lucia stared, wide-eyed, for a moment, before smiling brightly and letting out a short laugh as she turned to read the letters.  </p>
<p>
  <em>Dear Alucard and Lucia, </em>
</p>
<p><em>In case you didn't know before, Sypha's insane. She’s been having possibly inordinate amounts of fun with all this…It’s batshit insane but…kind of endearing at the same time. She’s bloody fearless. We’ve spent the last month dealing with roaming packs of night creatures and opportunistic brigands. Also, there was this one guy with the horse-drawn sailboat on wheels who calls himself the Pirate of the Roads. Yeah, not even the strangest shit we’ve seen. Not by a fucking long shot.</em> <em>That title might have to go to the night creatures we fought that were riding flying goats. Yeah, you read that right. Night creatures on flying goats. They shat on a farm, the goat shit was on fire, and the whole thing went up in flames. Burning devil-goat turds from the sky…Which, okay, in hindsight, might have been slightly funny. In the moment it was fucking horrifying. Sypha laughed her ass off about it later. I guess I might be having fun too, but only really because I’m with her. If either of you ever tell her I said that though, I will turn around and come back to the castle just to kick your asses. I hope you’ve been doing something other than moping around the castle for a month, and I hope you’ve been doing alright on your own. Write back to us soon, yeah?</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Your friend, </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor Belmont </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>My dear friends Lucia and Alucard,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor is full of shit, I'm not insane. I’m sorry it took us so long to write. I hope you’ve both been doing well. It’s been quite a month for us…It’s been strangely fun. As a Speaker I am used to traveling, but this is different. Traveling on my own is very different from traveling with a caravan of my family and closest friends. Traveling with Trevor, I feel truly free, for possibly the first time. It’s exhilarating. Trevor will grumble or complain about brigands and night creatures and all the other weird shit we’ve seen. And we’ve seen some strange things, including this one man with the horse-drawn sailboat on wheels who calls himself the Pirate of the Roads. But Trevor’s happy, in a subtle sort of way. He’s doing what he was born for, fighting monsters, and I know that, in a way, he’s happy in the same way I’ve been. Happy to be helping people, to be fighting for good and making a difference in the world…I’ve written down the spell I used to send these letters to you, so that you can use it to write back to us. Tell me everything about how you’ve been doing, what you’ve been up to. I hope you’ve been happy as well, or at least doing better than you were when Trevor and I left. Write back soon, and be well, my friends.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Your friend, Always, </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sypha Belnades, of the Codrii Speakers </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It seems like they’ve been having a rather eventful month.” Lucia laughed softly, re-reading the letters a few times.</p>
<p>“It seems they have. Though given some of what Trevor talked about in those letters, I can’t help but feel a little glad we didn’t go with them, that <em>you</em> didn’t go with them,” Alucard said.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m glad I missed out on flaming demon-goat shit too,” Lucia said, unable to keep from laughing as she did.</p>
<p>“Indeed,” Alucard said, the corners of his mouth turning up in a small smile, and Lucia could tell he was holding back a laugh as well. “We’ll write back to them later.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alucard had disappeared abruptly after dinner. Lucia shrugged it off, spending some time working on her sewing. The red dress was nearly finished, and she had decided to add embroidery with the silver-gray thread as well, around the edges of the skirt and the long, bell sleeves. The shirt she had measured for Alucard was also nearly finished, and Lucia hoped to be able to give it to him in the next day or so. Once she finished sewing, she sat down to begin a letter to Trevor and Sypha, smiling to herself as she wrote about how they had adopted Clarissa.  </p>
<p><em>Alucard’s still not back. Where could he have gotten to?  </em>Lucia thought, leaving her room to wander the halls in search of him. Alucard’s scent led Lucia to a part of the castle she was unfamiliar with, corridors off the main entrance hall that were richly decorated with elaborate tapestries, braziers that seemed to have run on electricity, but held the same warm glow of candlelight. Lucia heard Alucard moving in a room at the end of the hall, saw large wooden doors slightly ajar and poked her head in.</p>
<p>Lucia nearly gasped upon looking in. The ceiling was almost a tiered dome, with elaborate, swirling decoration painted into it. Ornate arches were set into the walls, shining burnished gold in the warm light. Lucia looked up to see a large, delicately wrought, crystal and gold chandelier hanging over the ballroom. The dark wood floor didn’t seem to have been cleaned in a while, and so was a bit dusty, but Lucia could easily see it polished and shining in the candlelight in her mind’s eye.</p>
<p>Alucard stood in the center of the ballroom, under the chandelier. Lucia guessed he had started sweeping the floor, if the broom that lay abandoned on the floor some feet away from him was anything to judge by. He was dancing by himself there, his arms up as if he were holding a partner. He danced gracefully across the floor as if he were floating, spinning elegantly, his hair whirling around him when he did, shimmering gold in the light. Lucia started slightly as she caught herself staring, smiling to herself as she leaned against the wall just inside the ballroom.</p>
<p>“Enjoying yourself?” Lucia called as she watched Alucard finish his one-man dance with a bow and a small flourish. He straightened up and turned to look at her, smiling, his cheeks just slightly pink.</p>
<p>“I am, yes,” he replied. “I haven’t danced in…a long time. I am a bit out of practice, but I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed it.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t look out of practice, if it’s any consolation,” Lucia said, pushing off the wall and walking out the join him on the dancefloor. “But then…I’m not at all familiar with the dance you were doing.”</p>
<p>“Would you like me to show you?” Alucard asked, holding a hand out to her.</p>
<p>“Yes, please,” Lucia replied, smiling as she took Alucard’s hand.</p>
<p>Alucard smiled, gently reeling Lucia in, clasping their hands together and resting his other hand at her waist. He led her gently through the unfamiliar steps with a small squeeze of her hand, guiding her with his hand on her back, or gently tapping his foot on hers to let her know which feet to step with. Lucia picked up the steps after a while, moving more confidently and smiling brightly up at Alucard.</p>
<p>“You’re very good at this,” Lucia murmured.  </p>
<p>“I had to be, growing up,” Alucard replied, smiling slightly and lifting a hand to twirl Lucia around. She laughed softly. “You’re learning very quickly.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, I have an excellent teacher,” Lucia said, smirking slightly. Alucard blushed faintly, but leaned in to steal a quick kiss.</p>
<p>“You’ll have to teach me some of the dances you know,” he said, reaching to brush a stray lock of hair from Lucia’s face.</p>
<p>“They’re all a bit faster than this,” Lucia said. “More…lively, and meant for festivals and such, since that’s how I learned them…It’s how I learned much of the music I know as well.”</p>
<p>“What do you play?” Alucard asked, tilting his head slightly. “When I was young…My father tried to coax me into learning something with all the instruments in the music rooms. I was never particularly good, but they should still be intact, if you’d like to play.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Lucia asked, smiling brightly. “I can play the fiddle very well, if I do say so myself, and the vihuela, though not as well and I only really know a couple of songs.”</p>
<p>“I would love to hear you play sometime,” Alucard said, matching Lucia’s smile, his hand at her waist squeezing slightly.  </p>
<p>“Then I will,” Lucia replied, smiling. “But first I think I promised to show you one of the dances I know.”</p>
<p>Lucia gently away back from Alucard, taking a step back and tapping her heel on the floor, planting her hands on her hips. She could almost hear the music in her mind, a steady, but fast melody on a vihuela, intermittent clicking of castanets. She let her eyes flutter shut, smiling at the memory of her mother and Tia Chiara dancing at festivals just a few years ago, clicking castanets as they danced together in the city plaza while Lucia and others played. She stomped her foot rhythmically for another moment, taking a step forward and flicking her back foot behind her, taking another step and spinning around, raising her arms overhead and laughing to herself as she eased back into the familiar steps. She danced for a few long moments, kicking her heels up as she spun and tapping her feet on the floor as she flicked them out to the sides.</p>
<p>“You’re beautiful,” Alucard murmured, and Lucia whirled her head to see him watching her, tapping his foot on the floor.</p>
<p>“Thank you! Come here, join me,” Lucia replied, taking Adrian’s hands.</p>
<p>“I—Are you certain?” Alucard asked. Lucia nodded, her hair falling around her face where it had come out of her braid.</p>
<p>“Yes!” Lucia laughed, pulling Adrian into the dance with her. Alucard joined in her laughter after a moment, and Lucia did her best to guide him through the, admittedly more complicated, footwork.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Your cat seems to think she owns the sofa,” Alucard said lightly, looking up from his book to nod to where Clarissa had curled up on the sofa near his feet. It had been pouring rain the previous night, and Alucard had let her into the castle upon hearing her mewling at the door, opening it to find the poor thing soaked to the bone.</p>
<p>“Oh, she’s <em>my </em>cat, is she? Who’s the one who gave her that little red bow she has around her neck?” Lucia asked, snickering slightly as she sat down next to him with something folded in her hands. Alucard raised an eyebrow, and Lucia smiled brightly. She all but shoved it at him, and Alucard realized it was a folded bit of fabric, in the same shimmering gold color she had used to measure him not long ago.</p>
<p>“Is this…?” Alucard trailed off, unfolding it. It was, in fact, the shirt Lucia had said she wanted to make for him. His eyes widened slightly, and he glanced over at her. “It is; this is the shirt you said you wanted to make for me.”</p>
<p>“Yes!” Lucia replied, her smile widening. Alucard found himself smiling back. “There’s a cravat there as well; I had some extra fabric from doing the shirt and I thought it would match nicely.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure it will, once I try it on…” Alucard trailed off, humming quietly.</p>
<p>He stood suddenly, and Clarissa startled and lifted her head to look at him, annoyed. Lucia simply raised an eyebrow. Alucard set the shirt down on the sofa, turning his back to Lucia and quickly stripping off the shirt he was wearing, changing into the one Lucia had made. Briefly, he wondered when he had become so <em>comfortable </em>around her. Those thoughts were quickly overshadowed as he pulled the shirt over his head.</p>
<p><em>It smells like her, </em>Alucard realized with a start. <em>She made this for me. Just because she wanted to, because she thought it would look nice on me. And now I’m wearing it and it smells like her. What if all my clothes smelled like her? What if…What if hers smelled like me? </em>He wondered, suddenly grateful he still had his back to Lucia, so she would not see how furiously he blushed at the thought of <em>how </em>or <em>why </em>Lucia or her clothes might get to have his scent on them.</p>
<p>“Does it fit?” Lucia asked when Alucard turned around to face her.</p>
<p>“I never doubted it would, since you’re a brilliant woman and a talented seamstress,” Alucard said, smiling softly. Lucia smiled back, a faint blush on her cheeks, and Alucard leaned in quickly to steal a kiss. “But yes, it fits perfectly. Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Lucia replied, smiling again. “Good, I’m glad.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The last remnants of the clouds from the previous night’s rain cleared as Lucia and Alucard cleaned up from dinner. Lucia smiled as she looked out the window at the sunset, and her gaze slowly drifted to Alucard. He quirked an eyebrow at her, and Lucia smirked.</p>
<p>“If I asked you for a sparring match now that we’ve finished with dinner, what would you say?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard replied simply, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>“Good,” Lucia said, smiling as she untied the cord holding her braid together, running her hands through her hair before braiding it again.</p>
<p>“Shall we?” Alucard asked, offering Lucia his arm. She nodded, smiling as she looped her arm through his and they headed outside.</p>
<p>Lucia barely flinched as she blocked a punch from Alucard, deflecting with one arm and miming a strike to his face with the other. He reeled back slightly and Lucia took the opportunity to grab hold of his shoulders, pulling one towards her while pushing the other away. As she twisted him off-balance, she hooked one leg behind his knee, sweeping his leg out from under him. Alucard landed on the grass with a soft <em>oof, </em>and Lucia moved to straddle him, pinning his hands above his head.</p>
<p>“I <em>think,</em>” Lucia said, breathing heavily from the sparring match and grinning triumphantly down at Alucard. “I think this means I win.”</p>
<p>Alucard scoffed, rolling his eyes and smiling slightly. He looked just as winded as Lucia felt, his chest heaving and lips slightly parted as he caught his breath. Lucia found herself staring. Alucard’s hair fanned out behind him, slightly mussed where he had fallen unceremoniously into the grass, and Lucia flexed her fingers where they held his wrists, resisting the urge to run them through his hair. He stared up at her with wide golden eyes, and…Was he <em>blushing? Why? </em>Lucia wondered.</p>
<p>Lucia knit her eyebrows, but did not have time to consider it as Alucard shifted, squirming under her. She tightened her hold on his wrists, shifting to settle more of her weight on him to keep him pinned and—<em>oh. </em>So <em>that </em>was why.</p>
<p>“So, are you, uh…enjoying yourself?” Lucia teased, fangs biting lightly into her bottom lip as she smirked, quirking an eyebrow at Alucard. Alucard made a small, almost choked sound and blushed deeper, turning bright red.</p>
<p>“I must confess I’m glad it’s me this time and not Belmont,” he said quietly. Lucia let out a short peal of laughter.</p>
<p>“Of all the things I thought you would say,” she murmured, shaking her head. “Wait, were—Were you <em>jealous </em>of him that day? Sypha said you had run off after we finished sparring, and I thought you had just…gotten bored. <em>Clearly </em>I must have been wrong.”</p>
<p>Alucard turned his head away from her, blushing furiously and biting his bottom lip with his fangs. “I had…other things I needed to attend to—”</p>
<p>“Oh my <em>god,” </em>Lucia murmured, hands clasping over her mouth as she sat up suddenly. Alucard squirmed under her again, and Lucia felt herself blushing as well. <em>He was pleasuring himself to me? To thoughts of me, of…us?</em> She thought, eyes widening slightly as she bit back a whimper.</p>
<p>“Lucia?” Alucard asked, pushing himself up into a sitting position. “Are you—”</p>
<p>“Do you want to take this instairs?” Lucia blurted out, wincing to herself as she did. “Upside? <em>Inside! Fuck!</em>” She rolled her eyes slightly, laughing at herself as she dragged one hand through her hair. “I can speak five languages, I promise.”</p>
<p>Alucard laughed softly, resting his hands on Lucia’s shoulders and drawing her into a kiss. Lucia leaned up into the kiss, her hands trailing lightly over Alucard’s chest. Alucard ran his hands over her arms and shoulders before wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling Lucia down on top of him as he leaned back into the grass once more. Lucia pulled back to fold her hands over Alucard’s chest and rest her chin on them. She smiled brightly, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his lips.</p>
<p>“I…am going to try that again, yeah?” Lucia asked, her smile turning mischievous as she glanced up at Alucard from under her eyelashes. “Do you want to take this inside? Because I would very much like to, if…that was something you wanted?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard answered immediately, his voice cracking slightly. “I-I want you to make love to me, Lucia. Please.”</p>
<p>Lucia grinned, pushing herself up and quickly getting off Alucard to stand. He made a face at her, and she rolled her eyes, grabbing his hands to pull him to his feet. As soon as he stood, Alucard pulled Lucia towards him, wrapping one arm around her back and the other behind her knees, picking her up. Lucia let out a surprised yelp, but laughed when Alucard sped into the castle and she suddenly found herself in her bedroom.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p>
<p>You’ll notice I have bumped up the rating and added tags for this fic. Please be mindful of them! This chapter is entirely smut, and I will warn for chapters containing smut in the future so those who don’t want to read it can skip those parts. For the rest of you, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alucard set her down on the bed, and Lucia pulled him down to sit next to her, leaning in to kiss him quickly. She drew back to unlace her boots, kicking them and her socks off onto the floor. Alucard followed suit, and Lucia moved to kiss him again as soon as he was done. Alucard moaned softly against her lips, but reluctantly pulled back after a moment, taking Lucia’s hands in his and rubbing slow circles across her hands with his thumbs.</p>
<p>“Lucia, I…Before we continue this, I feel I must tell you…” Alucard trailed off, blushing. “I’ve never done this before. You are my first.”</p>
<p>“I am?” Lucia echoed softly, squeezing Alucard’s hands. He nodded, blushing bright red.</p>
<p>“I…will admit that I have done some reading,” Alucard said, biting his bottom lip and glancing away. “I want to make this pleasurable for you as well.”</p>
<p>“You’ve…done reading?” Lucia asked slowly. <em>What kind of reading? How many books are there about sex in the library? He went through them...because he wanted to do this with me? </em>She wondered. “You went to all that trouble for me?”</p>
<p>“Of course, I did, Lucia,” Alucard replied earnestly, catching her shoulders and looking intently at her. “I love you.”</p>
<p>“I love you too,” Lucia murmured, bringing her hands up to cup his face, tracing her thumbs across his cheekbones. She pulled him in gently, leaning up to kiss him again.</p>
<p>Alucard’s lips were soft and warm against Lucia’s, and his arms wrapped around her shoulders and her waist, pulling her close. Lucia smiled, moaning softly into the kiss and carding her hands through his hair. One of Alucard’s hands trailed up her side, coming to rest on her cheek, gently caressing her face as he pulled back.</p>
<p>“Lucia?” he asked breathlessly, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned his forehead against Lucia’s. Lucia hummed in response, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Would you mind terribly if I asked you to take the lead, as it were? I want to know what you like, how your body works, what feels good for you. I’d like for you to show me…”</p>
<p>“I will,” Lucia replied, nodding. “I’m also curious about what you learned in your <em>reading.” </em>She smirked mischievously. Alucard chuckled slightly, even as he blushed.</p>
<p>“I was thinking perhaps I should show you, instead?” he suggested.</p>
<p>“I think I like that better,” Lucia replied, laughing softly. Alucard bit his lip, shifting nervously.</p>
<p>“I…would also like to have you on top of me again,” he said quietly, looking away. Lucia smiled, raising a hand to Alucard’s cheek, gently turning his head to make him look at her.</p>
<p>“I’d love to,” she said, leaning in to kiss him quickly before getting up. “But first…we’re both wearing entirely too much clothing for this.”</p>
<p>Alucard laughed, but quickly cut off with a short gasp when Lucia pulled her shirt off. She snickered quietly, fumbling slightly with the linen cloth she wrapped around her chest before unwinding it and letting it fall to the floor. She hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her pants and underclothes, pulling them down in one motion before looking back to Alucard. He stared, wide-eyed, and his face flushed a light pink. His hands paused near the neck of his shirt, where he had been undoing the laces.</p>
<p>“You’re beautiful,” Alucard murmured reverently, his eyes trailing up and down her body. Lucia blushed, smiling softly as she stepped back over to him and moved to straddle his lap. “Absolutely, stunningly beautiful.” </p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia said softly, leaning in to give him a slow, lingering kiss as she placed her hands over Alucard’s, untying the laces of his shirt. She gently tugged it open, letting her hands trail over his chest and his shoulders. Alucard’s breath hitched and his body tensed as Lucia trailed her fingers over the scar on his chest. She paused, looking back up at him, concerned.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” she asked. “Is this okay?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Alucard nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair from Lucia’s face and drawing her into a gentle kiss.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled, nipping at his lower lip as she pulled back, eliciting a soft gasp from him. She let her hands wander down Alucard’s chest and stomach, across the scar there for as much of it was exposed, and up under his shirt, retracing the planes of his chest until the fabric made it particularly difficult. She paused then, looking up at Alucard with a small smirk and a pointed look down at his chest and back to his face. Alucard flushed slightly, lifting his arms and allowing Lucia to take his shirt off, tossing it somewhere behind her before leaning in to kiss him again. Alucard moaned into the kiss, slightly off-balanced as Lucia leaned in to press herself flush against him. He reached behind him, catching himself with one hand on the bed before wrapping his arms around Lucia’s waist.</p>
<p>“May I…?” he asked, trailing a hand up Lucia’s inner thigh, looking up at her from underneath his long eyelashes. Lucia swallowed, feeling herself flush and her face heat up.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia replied immediately. <em>“Please </em>do.”</p>
<p>Alucard nodded, hesitantly slipping a hand between Lucia’s thighs. Slowly, he trailed a finger in between her folds, blushing to find that she was already wet. His fingers wandered for a moment, venturing slightly higher when he remembered suddenly something he had read. Lucia gasped sharply, one hand flying to cover her mouth and the other gripping Alucard’s shoulder. Alucard raised his eyebrows, tilting his head slightly as he looked up at her.</p>
<p>“R-right there,” Lucia stuttered, her breath coming faster. “Keep touching me right there.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Alucard murmured, leaning in to kiss her gently.</p>
<p>The hand Lucia had been covering her mouth with found its way to Alucard’s upper arm, gripping tightly as he continued to slowly draw circles around her clit with one finger. Lucia pulled away from Alucard’s lips just enough to let out a moan as she arched her back, pressing herself further into Alucard’s touch. Alucard dipped his head to leave open-mouthed kisses down Lucia’s neck, humming thoughtfully after a moment. He adjusted his hand to work at her clit with his thumb, hesitantly pressing a finger to her entrance. Lucia’s breath hitched as he did, and Alucard pulled back from where he had been sucking a love bite into her collarbone to look up at her face. Lucia knit her brows, biting at her bottom lip with her fangs.</p>
<p>“Lucia? Are you alright?” he asked quietly.</p>
<p>“I’m fine. Perfect, as a matter of fact. Don’t—Don’t stop there,” she replied with a short, breathless laugh.</p>
<p>Alucard chuckled softly, leaning in to steal a quick kiss before pulling back to lock eyes with Lucia as he slowly pressed one finger inside her. Lucia felt herself flush under the intensity of his gaze, but she refused to look away, her ice-blue eyes blown wide as she moaned softly and rocked into him. Alucard blushed furiously, and Lucia smirked as she leaned in to kiss him.</p>
<p>“Mmm, wait!” Lucia gasped softly against his lips as Alucard brushed a spot inside her that sent waves of pleasure through her. “Do-Do that again.”</p>
<p>“Do what? This?” Alucard asked, furrowing his eyebrows and tilting his head slightly as he repeated the motion more slowly.</p>
<p>“Ye-es!” Lucia’s breath hitched, and she tightened her grip on his arms, squeezing her thighs around his hips.</p>
<p>Alucard blushed, and he let out a soft moan as he continued to work his fingers over Lucia, paying special attention to spots she had pointed out as particularly pleasurable. Lucia moved one hand to tangle in Alucard’s hair, pulling him in for a kiss and moaning against his lips when he pressed another finger into her. She rocked her hips against him again, heat curling low in her stomach.</p>
<p>“A-Alucard,” Lucia said breathlessly after another few moments, pulling back just enough to press her forehead against his. “I’m going to, I—” Lucia cut off, her mouth falling open as her body tensed and shuddered. Her fingers curled into a fist in Alucard’s hair, and her other hand gripped his upper arm tightly. Lucia let out a short cry that turned into a moan as she dropped her head against his shoulder.</p>
<p>Alucard lightly trailed his free hand from Lucia’s thigh over her hip and up her back as she came down from her orgasm. She let out a soft groan when he withdrew his fingers from her, and he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, murmuring under his breath while his other hand remained on her back, slowly tracing the scar that ran diagonally across it.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Alucard asked after a long moment.</p>
<p><em>“Fantastic,” </em>Lucia murmured with a soft chuckle. She lifted her head from his shoulder to kiss him slowly, gently, before pulling back to trail her eyes down his body, looking down and then quickly back to his face. “Alucard…Why are you still wearing pants?”</p>
<p>“I—What?” he replied, furrowing his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Why are you still wearing pants?” Lucia asked, trailing her hands down his chest. One hand reached between his legs to cup his groin, tracing lightly over the bulge in his pants. Alucard gasped, biting his lip against a moan. “I do believe it’s your turn now? I’m not quite done with you…Do you still want me on top of you?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard said immediately, letting out a soft moan as Lucia hooked her thumbs into the waistband of his pants. “Yes, I do.”</p>
<p>“Good,” she murmured, leaning in to kiss him quickly. “Then these need to go.”</p>
<p>Alucard hummed softly against Lucia’s lips, lifting his hips to help her as she pulled his pants off. He leaned back, kicking them off his legs as soon as he could. Lucia motioned for him to scoot back onto the bed and he followed, blushing as she moved to straddle his hips again. He stared up at her, slowly trailing his hands up and down her sides.</p>
<p>“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” he asked quietly.</p>
<p>“You have…But I will never say no to hearing it again,” Lucia replied, leaning forward to kiss him. Alucard chuckled, smiling into the kiss. Lucia brought her hands up to cup his face, and she looked earnestly at him when she pulled back from the kiss. “I will also take a moment to remind you that I think you’re beautiful too. And I love you.”</p>
<p>“I love you too, Lucia,” he murmured softly, face flushing. Lucia smiled, drawing him into another kiss before trailing her hands to rest on his chest and gently pushing him back to rest against the headboard, propped up against a couple of pillows.</p>
<p>Lucia paused to readjust herself in his lap, trailing her hands farther down his chest to his stomach, biting back a smirk when he gasped softly. She paused to look at Alucard from under her eyelashes as she wrapped her fingers around his cock and began to stroke him slowly. Alucard gasped again, muffling a moan against his hand as it flew up to cover his mouth. His other hand curled into a fist in the sheets.</p>
<p>Alucard’s hip bucked under her suddenly, pressing himself into her touch. Lucia bit her bottom lip, pausing to shift herself in Alucard’s lap, looking up to lock eyes with him as she slowly slid down on him, gasping softly. Alucard blushed, leaning his head back against the headboard with a loud moan.</p>
<p>Lucia leaned forward to kiss him, bracing her hands on his chest as she did. Alucard gave a soft, muffled moan into the kiss, one hand coming up to tangle in her hair. Lucia smiled against his lips, trailing her hand down his free arm, squeezing his hand and gently bringing it up to rest on her hip. Alucard hummed softly, running his hand through her hair, down her back, coming to rest on her other hip as he looked hesitantly to Lucia. Lucia smiled brightly, stealing a quick kiss from him as she braced her hands on his chest again and slowly began to rock her hips.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” she asked softly. Alucard nodded, giving a quiet moan and squeezing her hips.</p>
<p>“Y-yes,” he stuttered. He lifted his head to look at her, blushing for a moment before glancing away. “Please Lucia, could you—” he cut off with a moan. “Faster? <em>Please?” </em></p>
<p>“Of course,” Lucia replied, leaning in to press a lingering kiss to his lips as she picked up her pace.</p>
<p>Alucard moaned loudly, his hips bucking under her and his fingers digging slightly into her thighs as she moved. Lucia knit her eyebrows, biting her bottom lip against a moan as she rolled her hips into him. Alucard’s hips bucked under her again, drawing a moan from Lucia as she leaned forward to kiss him. She kept one hand on his chest to steady herself, her other hand coming up to his cheek. She paused, stuttering in her rhythm, when she felt tears on his cheek.</p>
<p>“Alucard, are you alright?” she asked, locking eyes with him, worried.</p>
<p>“Yes,” he murmured, leaning into her touch and leaving an open-mouthed kiss to her palm. “Ah…a little overwhelmed, but in a good way.”</p>
<p>“Do you…want to stop?” Lucia asked carefully. “Because we can, if—”</p>
<p>“No,” Alucard replied, shaking his head slightly. “No, please don’t stop. It feels…good. Very good. <em>Please </em>keep going.” </p>
<p>Lucia nodded, stealing another kiss from him, gently wiping his tears away with her thumbs. She smirked mischievously as she pulled back, continuing to rock her hips against him. Alucard’s breathing sped up, and his hips bucked under Lucia again in shorter, faster thrusts. He slid his hands up her thighs to her hips, and Lucia moaned softly.</p>
<p>“Lucia, I—” Alucard moaned, cutting off with a short cry as he gripped her hips tightly, thrusting up into her and gasping for breath as he rode out his orgasm.</p>
<p>Lucia knit her eyebrows and moaned softly, her body tensing and shuddering as well. She took a deep breath, leaning forward to kiss Alucard gently, laying against his chest, still on top of him. Alucard brought his arms up to wrap around her back, murmuring into the crook of her neck as he shivered slightly.</p>
<p>After a moment, Lucia mumbled under her breath and shifted to move off of Alucard, dropping onto the bed next to him. Alucard hummed softly, rolling onto his side and gently pulling Lucia back into his arms. Lucia smiled up at him, tracing her fingers idly across his chest.</p>
<p>“That was…” Alucard trailed off, chuckling breathlessly. “Wow.”</p>
<p>“Did I really just render you speechless?” Lucia asked after a moment, laughing quietly.</p>
<p>“A bit, yes,” Alucard admitted, pressing his forehead against hers.</p>
<p>“Good,” she murmured, smiling as she leaned up to kiss him softly. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. I certainly did.” Alucard hummed contentedly, burying his nose in her hair.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia woke slowly the next morning, her eyes fluttering open in the early morning sun. She shifted slightly where she lay on her side, smiling at the comfortable warmth of Alucard’s body next to her, and snuggled closer to him. Alucard murmured something under his breath, his arms tightening around Lucia’s waist, puller her closer.</p>
<p>“Good morning,” Lucia murmured, smiling up at him.</p>
<p>“Well, it certainly is now,” Alucard said, raising a hand to brush Lucia’s hair from her face. He looked at her for a long moment, with fondness in his golden eyes. “I could do this every morning, I think.”</p>
<p>“I’d like that very much,” Lucia replied, leaning in to press a soft kiss to the tip of Alucard’s nose. He blushed faintly, and his eyes widened just slightly after a moment. “Are you alright, Alucard? You have this look on your face all of a sudden.”</p>
<p>Alucard leaned forward to kiss Lucia fiercely in response, his arms tightening around her waist. Lucia made a small sound of surprise before melting into the kiss, cupping Alucard’s cheek with one hand, her other tracing across his chest. She gently pressed her forehead against his when they pulled back.</p>
<p>“I’m <em>happy,</em> Lucia,” Alucard said, his voice nearly breaking on the word. “I had almost forgotten how it felt. But here, getting to wake up with you in my arms and kiss you by way of saying good morning, I’m happy.”</p>
<p>Lucia smiled brightly at him, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. She brought her hands up to cup his face, gently tracing her thumbs across his cheekbones. “Good. I’m glad to hear it, and I’m glad to see you happy. I’m happy too, Alucard. I love you.”</p>
<p>“I love you, too,” Alucard murmured, pulling Lucia closer and burying his face in the crook of her neck. “You smell like me, now.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I do?” Lucia asked, amused. “I’m fairly certain that goes both ways, and you have my scent all over you now as well.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Alucard replied, lifting his head just enough to look up at her. “Would you like me to make breakfast?”</p>
<p>“Please?” Lucia asked, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Alucard said, stealing another quick kiss before disappearing in a flash of red. Lucia pouted for a moment, missing his warmth, before he reappeared wearing a white night shirt, with another one in hand.</p>
<p>“I was unsure if you had any proper nightclothes,” he murmured, passing her the nightshirt. “It never seemed appropriate to ask, but…”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied, sitting up and pressing a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, taking the shirt and pulling it over her head. <em>It smells like him, </em>Lucia thought, smiling slightly as she pulled one shoulder of the shirt back up into place. “Would you like help with making breakfast?”</p>
<p>“Lucia, please,” Alucard said softly, laying his hands on her shoulders. “Let me cook for you.”</p>
<p>“How am I meant to resist an offer like that?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“You’re not,” Alucard replied, smirking slightly at her. Lucia scoffed a short laugh, rolling her eyes.</p>
<p>Alucard got up again a moment later, heading down to the kitchen. Lucia lingered in the bedroom, gathering their clothes from wherever they had landed the night before, folding them neatly on her bed before wandering down to the kitchen. Alucard was humming softly to himself as he cracked an egg into the frying pan, and Lucia smiled, humming along as she sidled up behind him, loosely wrapping her arms around his torso and pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck before resting her chin on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I had planned on bringing breakfast up to you,” Alucard murmured, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes.</p>
<p>“I missed your warmth,” Lucia murmured back, snuggling closer into his back.</p>
<p>“Admittedly, I missed yours too,” Alucard said, smiling. “What do you think? Shall we open the ballroom and have a proper ball for ourselves tonight?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia replied. “Yes, please.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia smiled brightly at herself in the mirror as she tied the last fastenings of her dress. Alucard had suggested they open the ballroom, having a dance for themselves, and had insisted they both dress for the occasion. Lucia had decided to wear the red dress she had just finished sewing for herself, with its rich, dark red color and silver-grey embroidery along bands at her upper arms, along the edges of the long bell-sleeves, and along the edges of the skirt.</p>
<p><em>I hope he’ll wear the shirt I just made him; gold is a very good color for him. Though I suppose he has more by way of formal clothes</em>, Lucia thought absently as she huffed a stray piece of hair from her face, reaching her hands up to comb through it again and begin pulling it back into braids, twisting the braids around each other into a bun and pinning them in place.</p>
<p>The dining room was next to the ballroom. Alucard and Lucia had not seen any point in opening it earlier, with just the two of them. But for tonight they had opened the room and cleaned up. A large crystal chandelier cast a warm glow over the dining room. As in the dining room, ornate arches were set into the walls, and rich tapestries hung on the walls as well. Alucard looked up from where he had been lighting the candles in a candelabra on the table when he heard Lucia come in, and he smiled at her.</p>
<p>“You look absolutely lovely, Lucia,” he said, walking towards her and gently taking her hands.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied. Alucard had, in fact, worn the gold shirt Lucia had made for him, and tied the matching cravat at his neck. He also wore his black coat with gold buttons and accents, the one that was so familiar to her by now. Lucia smiled at him, feeling herself blush slightly. “You look very handsome yourself.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I—Thank you,” Alucard replied, blushing faintly and brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. He gently led her to the table, where he had set two places for them; one for himself at the head of the table, and one for Lucia next to him. He pulled out Lucia’s chair for her, gesturing for her to sit.</p>
<p>“You made bulz?” Lucia asked as she sat, looking at the table, smiling.</p>
<p>“As a side for the fish, yes,” Alucard replied, taking his own seat. “I know they’ve become a favorite of yours.”</p>
<p>“They have, yeah,” Lucia said, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>“It brings back memories,” Alucard murmured as they finished eating and he opened the doors into the ballroom. “Opening these parts of the castle again.”</p>
<p>“Good memories, I hope? Or…?” Lucia trailed off uncertainly.</p>
<p>“Good memories,” Alucard agreed, leaning in to kiss Lucia’s cheek. “Memories of my parents, and my childhood, yes, but…it doesn’t hurt as much to remember, anymore.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad,” Lucia murmured, leaning into the touch. “Tell me what you’re thinking?”</p>
<p>“I’m thinking about how I would do something like this with my parents, occasionally,” Alucard replied, offering Lucia his hands as they stepped onto the dancefloor. He brought one of Lucia’s hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles before drawing her into a dance. His other hand settled at her waist, and Lucia smiled, resting her hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Mother never was one for such…grand gestures,” Alucard said. “But every so often, Father would set up the dining room and the ballroom like this, and they would dance. They taught me to dance as well. Father would have me stand next to him and copy his steps, and Mother would dance with me and we’d both try not to trip over my feet.” He laughed slightly as he spoke.</p>
<p>“I can’t imagine you ever being clumsy at something like this,” Lucia said, smiling.</p>
<p>“Such flattery,” Alucard said, guiding Lucia into a spin, and she laughed as her skirts flared around her. “And besides, I had a fair amount of practice.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure,” Lucia replied.</p>
<p>“I have one more surprise for you,” Alucard said after another moment.</p>
<p>“Oh?” Lucia raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly. Alucard smirked in response, and his hand moved from her waist for a moment.</p>
<p>“When we did this when I was a boy, Father used to have enchanted instruments that played music for us on their own,” Alucard explained. A moment later Lucia heard soft music from fiddles and violins of various octaves, playing a slow, sweeping song, perfect for the dance they had been doing.</p>
<p>“He may or may not have taught me the spell,” Alucard said, still smirking slightly. Lucia laughed breathlessly as Alucard pulled her close again, sweeping her up in the dance once more.</p>
<p>“I love you,” Lucia murmured as they slowed to a stop in the middle of the dancefloor.</p>
<p>“And I you,” Alucard replied, still holding one of her hands as he gave a bow with a small flourish.</p>
<p>Lucia dipped into a curtsy in response. Alucard brought her hand to his lips again, his golden eyes sparkling mischievously as he looked up at her from under his eyelashes. Lucia smirked, brushing a lock of hair from his face, tracing her fingers over his cheekbone, down to the cravat at his neck. She toyed with it for a moment before hooking her fingers through the knot of the bow and pulling Alucard into a kiss, smiling against his lips.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alucard walked into the sitting room with a basket in one hand, ready to go out to the river to catch some fish for dinner, perhaps pick some berries and check on the wild garlic that had begun growing outside near the strawberry patch. He found Lucia in the sitting room, leaning against the arm of a loveseat, reading a book and pointedly ignoring her hair as it fell across her face. Clarissa was curled up on Lucia’s lap, fast asleep.</p>
<p>“I’m going out to the river,” Alucard said quietly, reaching to tuck Lucia’s black hair behind her ear. She looked up at him with her bright blue eyes, and Alucard thought briefly that he could be lost in them—in <em>her</em>—forever. He leaned in to give her a gentle kiss. “Would you like to join me?”</p>
<p>“I would, but…” Lucia trailed off, gesturing with one hand towards where Clarissa was asleep. “I think I am legally and morally bound to stay here, at least so long as Clarissa is asleep on me.”</p>
<p>Alucard let out a short chuckle and kissed Lucia again. “I’ll be back soon.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“I will not be hunted,” Alucard said, his voice low, and his nails elongated into talons as he stared at the young woman. She had straight, dark brown hair, pulled back in a sort of ponytail. Her eyes were also dark brown, and widened slightly as she watched him. <em>I will not be hunted, </em>he thought. <em>I will not allow Lucia to be hunted either. To be driven from yet another place she has come to call home, to myself be driven from my home, or killed, or both. I refuse to allow it.</em></p>
<p>“We are not hunting you,” the woman said, and she spoke in an accent utterly foreign to him. “You are the Alucard.”</p>
<p>“The what?” Alucard asked.</p>
<p>“We need your help,” the woman continued. Alucard nearly rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“With an arrow in my back?” he asked, gesturing behind him, to where he could hear the other hunter approaching.</p>
<p>“He was going to cover me,” the woman explained. “I was going to come out to talk to you.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Alucard asked flatly.</p>
<p>“We have come a long way. Please, I need to know if he’s alright,” the woman said.</p>
<p>“If I wanted him dead, I would have aimed higher. If he wants to continue living, he should stop right there,” Alucard replied, raising his voice so the other hunter—the young man—would hear him, as he approached.</p>
<p>“Please leave her alone!” The young man panted, leaning against a nearby tree as he stopped a few feet from Alucard and the young woman. “You are the Alucard, and we do need your help.”</p>
<p>Alucard sighed slightly, standing up. “I am not <em>the </em>anything.”</p>
<p>“Adrian Tepes,” the young woman said, and Alucard froze for a brief second at the sound of his birth name. “The Alucard. The anti-Dracula.”</p>
<p>“Just Alucard,” Alucard said. The young man ran over, offering a hand to the young woman and pulling her to her feet. “Who are you?”</p>
<p>“I am Sumi,” the young woman—Sumi—said, gesturing to herself, then to the young man. “And this is Taka. We hunt vampires.”</p>
<p>“Not you,” Taka said quickly. “Real vampires. The pursuit of our target became the pursuit of the castle, and we only discovered yesterday that you live in it.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t notice you yesterday,” Alucard said, resting his chin between his thumb and forefinger, glancing sideways. <em>Then, I was a bit distracted by other things, yesterday. And I did not spend much time out here before dinner, </em>Alucard thought.<em> And it seems they’ve yet to notice Lucia. Or perhaps she has been avoiding them? But then, if she had noticed them, she would have said something. To evade both of our notice…</em> “You’re better than I thought. Who was your quarry?”</p>
<p>“Her name is Cho,” Sumi replied, narrowing her eyes. “We were slaves to her court in Japan. She left to become a general in Dracula’s war. We were able to escape her court in that time.”</p>
<p>“We followed her here,” Taka said. “We learned to track the castle.”</p>
<p>“If she was in the castle with Dracula, then she died at Braila,” Alucard said.</p>
<p>“Yes. But she is not the only vampire in Japan,” Sumi replied. She reached for Taka’s hand, taking it in her own and squeezing reassuringly. “We need more knowledge than we have to fight them.”</p>
<p>“We were looking for the castle, we had no idea how to find you,” Taka said, his free hand moving to his ribs. “Ignoring for the moment the fact that I think you smashed all my ribs…This is a good day for us.” Alucard let out a dry chuckle at that.  </p>
<p>“Alucard, will you teach us?” Sumi asked.</p>
<p>“Teach you?” Alucard echoed, furrowing his eyebrows and glancing away.</p>
<p>“We are alone in this world, and we do not have enough power or knowledge to free our people of the vampire,” Sumi continued. “You know things, and you have a knowledge famously contained within Dracula’s castle. Will you teach us how to fight for the freedom of others?”</p>
<p>Alucard paused at that, considering. <em>Why would they lie? </em>He wondered. <em>They seem earnest enough in their desire to help their people, to protect them. But why would they tell me the truth, especially considering they may have tried to kill me just now? But then…I could help them. Lucia could help them as well, I’m sure. Training generations of hunters is quite literally in her blood. Perhaps…Perhaps we could make this work. </em></p>
<p>“Follow me,” Alucard said, and began walking back towards the castle.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Come on then. We begin,” Alucard said, smiling at Taka and Sumi over his shoulder, at the utterly ecstatic looks they gave each other. He turned back, leading them up the stairs and opening the doors to the castle. “I should mention, however, that we are not alone here.”</p>
<p>“Someone else lives here with you?” Taka asked.</p>
<p>“Oh yes. She is…like me, half-human and half-vampire,” Alucard replied, glancing at Taka and Sumi out of the corner of his eye. Sumi’s eyes widened slightly, and Taka knit his eyebrows. “Her name is Lucia Savona. She comes from a long line of monster hunters. I’ve fought with her, seen her fight. She’s very skilled, she has extensive experience in hunting night creatures as well, and I believe she would help, if I am to teach you.”</p>
<p>“Who is Lucia to you, that you speak so well of her, and that she lives in the castle with you?” Sumi asked, tilting her head slightly. Alucard glanced away for a moment, feeling himself blush faintly.</p>
<p>“She is a close friend of mine,” he said quietly.</p>
<p>“A close friend,” Taka echoed, smirking mischievously. “Is she your wife or something? Your lover?”</p>
<p>“Taka!” Sumi exclaimed, giving him a sharp glare out of the corner of her eye. Alucard froze, blushing furiously, and nearly choked in an attempt to find words again.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia paused where she was in the kitchen, hearing two new sets of footsteps, catching two new scents in the castle along with Alucard. Her ears twitched slightly as she listened to them talking as they approached, and she clapped a hand over her mouth at the young man’s question—<em>Is she your wife? Your lover?</em>—in an attempt to stifle her laughter. Alucard did not speak for a long moment, and Lucia could practically imagine the mortified expression on his face.</p>
<p>“No,” Alucard said finally, though his voice was slightly strained in a way Lucia was sure she was the only one to notice. “No, Lucia and I are not married.”</p>
<p><em>Tactfully avoiding the second half of that question, I see, </em>Lucia thought, snickering to herself. She moved around the kitchen again, purposefully making noise to let them know she was there, and continued with the polenta she had begun making for lunch. Her ears twitched towards the door as she heard Alucard and the other two approaching, and she turned to look at them, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>Both of them had dark hair, dark brown eyes, and, interestingly, similar notches in their eyebrows. The young woman wore a fur cloak around her shoulders and had a dark green band tied on her forehead. The young man’s wavy hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and he carried a bow and quiver on his back. Alucard smiled, slightly sheepish, as he moved into the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Lucia, this is Taka and Sumi,” he said, nodding to the young man and woman in turn. “They hunt vampires, and I’ve offered to allow them to stay here, to share what knowledge can be learned from the castle and the Belmont hold.”</p>
<p>“Alucard has spoken very well of you,” Sumi said, turning to Lucia with a small smile. “He says you have a lot of experience hunting night creatures and vampires, and that you would be able to help us as well. We have come a long way to ask for his help, to learn how to fight vampires so we may free our people.”</p>
<p>“We would be grateful for any help you can give us,” Taka added.</p>
<p>Lucia nodded quietly, absently brushing a piece of hair from her face. “I tracked a small group of vampires from Castile, across Europe, here to Wallachia. I grew up fighting monsters, learning everything my mother could teach me, everything her family had taught her…” she trailed off, looking between Taka and Sumi, noticing how they both shifted slightly, glancing at each other. “I would be more than happy to help you train, teach you what I know. Now come on, why don’t you have a seat? I’m sure you’ve had a long journey, and it’s...just about time for lunch.”</p>
<p>“Alucard did not mention anything about lunch,” Taka said, snickering slightly as he took a seat at the kitchen table. “I could go for lunch, I’m starving.”</p>
<p>Lucia laughed slightly at that, moving back to the pot on the stove to stir it. Alucard reached up into a cabinet, taking out bowls for them, and passing them to Lucia. She smiled, leaning over to quickly kiss his cheek. She heard Taka muttering something under his breath behind her and stifled another laugh.   </p>
<p>“Where are the two of you from, if I may ask?” Lucia asked, passing two bowls to Taka and Sumi.</p>
<p>“We are from northern Japan,” Sumi replied, smiling slightly as she took a bowl.</p>
<p>“We were slaves in the court of a vampire named Cho,” Taka added. “When she left to become a general in Dracula’s war, we were able to escape her court. We tracked her and the castle here. You tell us Cho is dead now, but…”</p>
<p>“If she was a general in Dracula’s war court, she would have died in the attack at Braila, or here, when the castle moved here and we fought him,” Lucia said slowly.</p>
<p>“But there are other vampires in Japan, others who will seek to take over Cho’s court,” Sumi said.</p>
<p>“This is why we need your help. To defend our home against them, to fight them, so our people can be free from the vampire,” Taka added.</p>
<p>“I see,” Lucia said, glancing quickly at Alucard. The corners of his mouth twitched in a small smile, and he nodded minutely. Lucia returned the gesture, turning back to Taka and Sumi. “We will help you, teach you everything we can so that you can help your people.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, Fernando,” Morana said, idly swirling the blood in her wine glass. She, Lenore, Striga, and Fernando sat in the council’s private meeting room, waiting for Carmilla. She had summoned them all for a meeting. “I presume this meeting is about Carmilla’s new plan she has mentioned. And since you’ve been traveling with her for the last month…Do you know anything about it?”</p><p>“I do,” Fernando replied, a slow smirk crossing his face. “It may seem…slightly implausible when she presents it, when she finishes with the cartographer. However, I’m told you all know that Carmilla can be a bit like that sometimes, a bit more focused on the big picture than on how we’re going to get there. Her plan, though, is brilliant.”</p><p>“You can say that again,” Striga said, rolling her eyes slightly. “But that is not exactly helpful in telling us what her plan is.”</p><p>“I would truly hate to ruin the surprise,” Fernando said smoothly.</p><p>“Well!” Lenore smiled, clasping her hands together in front of her. “I’m infinitely curious now about what sort of scheming you two have gotten up to.”</p><p>“Scheming is certainly one word for it,” Striga muttered, smirking slightly as she shared a look with Morana.</p><p>“It will be worth the wait, I assure you,” Fernando said, smiling and inclining his head in Lenore’s direction.</p><p>“I have it!” Carmilla announced as she swept into council room, a piece of parchment rolled up under her arm. Fernando glanced at her, then around at the others, smirking slightly.</p><p>“What do you have?” Morana asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“The future,” Carmilla said.</p><p>“Oh, I can’t wait for this,” Striga said, a note of amusement in her voice as she glanced at Fernando. “She’s home five minutes and she’s already carrying the future rolled up under her arm.”</p><p>“The future does seem very portable,” Lenore added, tapping one finger against her lips.</p><p>“Well, it’s the future, isn’t it?” Morana laughed slightly. “You can’t see it yet, so I suppose it can’t weight very much.”</p><p>“Your comedy act hasn’t improved while I’ve been away,” Carmilla said dryly, rolling the parchment out on the table with a grand gesture. “I had the cartographer in. Come and look at <em>this.” </em></p><p>Fernando rose, his cloak sweeping behind him as he moved to get a look at the map Carmilla had laid out on the table. Striga, Morana, and Lenore stood to gather around Carmilla as well. The map was one of eastern Europe from the borders of Austria to Wallachia.</p><p>“This is us,” Carmilla said, tapping Styria’s location on the map. “We have never been able to project our power west. Too many strong nations, and, until now, no allies among them.” She glanced meaningfully at Fernando, who smirked slightly, inclining his head. “That changes now, though it’s not the point at the moment. But…If we look east, we see an entire region fractured and devastated by Dracula’s actions, from here to Braila. Our march from there to here defines a destabilized zone with no real power structures or organization.”</p><p>“That must be eight hundred miles of territory as the crow flies,” Striga said, glancing dubiously at Carmilla.  </p><p>“I want you to think of it as Greater Styria,” Carmilla replied, gesturing to the map. “A corridor nation.”</p><p>“You’ve gone mad,” Morana said, chuckling slightly and glancing at Fernando. “You both have.”</p><p>“Vampire groups in this corridor are splintered and decimated by the battle at Braila,” Fernando said. “They are fighting among themselves, vying for power and control over the region’s resources. It’s not unlike what Spain was before it was unified.”</p><p>“By you,” Morana said, arching an eyebrow.</p><p>“Well, not to boast, but yes,” Fernando said, meeting her gaze.</p><p>“The humans in this region are in complete chaos, hiding in villages or being picked up by abandoned night creatures loose in the field,” Carmilla continued.</p><p>“Oh! Oh, wait. I think I see,” Lenore said, her dark red eyes sliding sideways to Carmilla as she smirked deviously. “It’s a <em>pen, </em>isn’t it? A pen for livestock?”</p><p>“That’s right,” Carmilla said. “We enclose this corridor with all the humans in it.”</p><p>“Morana’s right. You’re both insane,” Striga said, crossing her arms. “How could we even police such long borders?”</p><p>“We lost so many soldiers at Braila that I’m not even sure how we hold off an attack from our neighbors right now,” Morana added.</p><p>“I believe this is where I come in,” Fernando said smoothly. “I have more than enough troops in Spain to lend support to our cause and keep my own borders secure. We’ve had a rather irritating border dispute with France in the northern mountains recently. However, I can send word to my second in command and have some of my own troops sent here as soon as possible.”</p><p>“That is in part why Fernando is here,” Carmilla agreed. “We also have Hector the forgemaster in our cells. Hector can make night creatures. The otherwise useless little bastard can, in fact, create us a new army from the regiments of Hell itself. <em>That</em>, combined with the support we’ll gain from Fernando, is how we take control of the corridor and trap ourselves a flock of livestock that will keep us fed forever.”</p><p>As she spoke, Carmilla walked around the table to the large glass cabinet on the other side of the room. She pulled it open, drawing out a wine glass and glass pitcher full of blood, pouring a drink for herself.</p><p>“That’s the wonderful thing about humans. Leave a handful of them alone for five minutes, and they’ll start making more little humans—self-replicating food,” Carmilla said with a short giggle. “So, that’s my plan. Take over a long enclosure of land, surround it, rule over it like the empresses of old, and drink all the humans forever. With the added benefit of scaring the shit out of every vampire from here across western Europe with a tactical show of our new alliance with Fernando, opening the door to the possibility of knocking them all off their high horses at a later time. Brilliant, isn’t it?”</p><p>“It’s lunatic,” Striga said firmly, reaching up to touch her temple with one hand. “Do you know what annoys me about it most?”</p><p>“What?” Carmilla asked, taking a drink from her glass.</p><p>“It’s a really good idea,” Striga said. Carmilla laughed. “The moment is perfect. Your experience and all our intelligence tells us it’s chaos from here to the Danube. We simply don’t have the strength of numbers to make it work.”</p><p>“Not yet. Soon, we’ll have Fernando’s people here,” Carmilla said after a moment. “And…We do have Hector.”</p><p>“We have a half-dead thing in the cell that will have no interest at all in helping you do anything,” Morana said, taking her seat again.</p><p>“He’s quite pliable,” Carmilla said.</p><p>Fernando had his doubts. <em>He was suspicious even before we left Braila. And now…Now he wants nothing to do with us. Carmilla has lost his trust. If we want him to supplement our forces with night creatures, we cannot rely on Carmilla to convince him, </em>he thought. <em>He likely won’t want to hear from me either. </em></p><p>“He <em>was</em> quite pliable once,” Morana said. “And then you got him to betray his master, made him see all his goals destroyed, <em>beat the shit out of him, </em>and dragged him eight hundred miles on the end of a rope. I don’t see him being happy to do you any other favors, Carmilla.”</p><p>“She makes a fair point,” Striga said.</p><p>“Maybe we could just torture him until he does what he’s told,” Carmilla scoffed.</p><p>Fernando pursed his lips, frowning. “If I may…We need him to <em>like</em> us, as well. Or at least be in a position where he can be manipulated into liking us. Night creatures are loyal to their forgemasters. If Hector is not loyal to us, night creatures he forges for our combined army will not be either.”</p><p>“Exactly. We might just be giving him an opportunity to create his <em>own </em>army,” Striga added.   </p><p> “Let me handle it,” Lenore said suddenly, and all eyes in the council room turned to her.</p><p>“Really?” Carmilla asked.</p><p>“Striga’s the fighter, Morana’s the organizer, Fernando will be aiding both of them and updating us on the location of his forces as he gets word of their travel. They all have a plan to deal with. Let me solve Hector,” Lenore said with a small, knowing smile. Fernando raised an eyebrow almost warily.</p><p>“Is this going to be like the time you found a spider with one broken leg and you tore the castle apart looking for something to make a splint out of?” Carmilla asked.</p><p>Lenore scoffed and turned her head away from Carmilla. “No.”</p><p>Fernando snickered quietly at that, unable to help himself.</p>
<hr/><p>“What are you thinking, Lucia?” Alucard asked softly, moving to sit next to her on the bed. Lucia hummed quietly, looking up from her book to smile slightly at him, pulling the shoulder of her borrowed nightshirt back up into place. “You have that look on your face.”</p><p>“I’m thinking about Taka and Sumi,” Lucia said, shifting to lean her head against Alucard’s shoulder. “I’m thinking about how we seem to have a pair of students, now.”</p><p>“Students,” Alucard echoed, chuckling slightly and wrapping an arm loosely around Lucia’s waist. “Where shall we start with teaching them, then?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Lucia murmured. <em>There’s so much information here, in the castle and in the hold. It can be overwhelming at first. And we don’t know what they can do already, or what they might want to know, </em>she thought. “I think…Before we start properly training, I want to know what they can do already.”</p><p>“What do you suggest then?” Alucard asked, turning his head to look at Lucia. “That we spar with them?”</p><p>“That’s exactly what I was going to suggest,” Lucia said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “That once we show them around the castle, tell them more about what a wealth of information we have here for them to read and learn from if they want, that yes, we should spar with them.”  </p><p>“Give them practical knowledge as well,” Alucard added. “Well, we do have the advantage of being able to show them how vampires fight, and help them practice with it.” Lucia nodded, humming quietly.</p><p>A moment later, there was a soft crackling sound, and the familiar feel of magic in the air. Lucia felt the hair at the back of her neck stand on edge, and she sat up straighter, feeling Alucard tense next to her. A letter appeared on Alucard’s desk then, neatly folded and sealed with wax.</p><p>“That’ll be Sypha, then,” Alucard murmured as he stood to retrieve the letters, breaking the seal and opening them.</p><p>“Are you ready?” Lucia asked, snickering slightly as she glanced up at Alucard. He rolled his eyes slightly, smiling as he began to read. <em>I can’t wait for this reaction, </em>Lucia thought. <em>Granted, telling them about our romantic involvement via letter may not be ideal, but…</em></p><p>“I’m going to strangle Belmont the next time I see him,” Alucard said flatly.</p><p>Lucia laughed, one hand coming up to her mouth. “I can only take that to mean he’s already teasing us mercilessly.”</p><p>“See for yourself,” Alucard replied, sitting back on the bed and passing the letters to Lucia.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Alucard and Lucia,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, when’s the wedding? Can the two of you even get married properly, in a church and whatnot, what with the whole dhampir thing? I swear if we come back to the castle and you two have a gaggle of rapidly-growing-up dhampir kids I will laugh my ass off. And relentlessly tease you. No, I’m going to do that, anyway. I almost can’t believe I’m surprised, because in hindsight it’s not even slightly surprising that you two end up together. But I am happy for you, and I’m glad to hear you’re happy together and not moping around the castle. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>There’s some news with us too, though I’m sure Sypha has written about it. We just came into a town called Lindenfeld. It seems like there’s some strange shit going on here. We don’t know much yet, but we’ll keep you updated. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your friend, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Trevor Belmont.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dear Lucia and Alucard, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s so good to hear from you! I’m glad you’ve finally stopped dancing around your feelings for each other; it was painfully obvious even before Trevor and I left. I’m very happy for you both and I wish you the best. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Trevor and I just arrived in a town called Lindenfeld. It feels very strange, and is run by a township judge, which is rare these days; it’s an old term for the landlord of a town, before the time of barons and lords. There are some other strange things happening here, particularly at the priory after we’re told there was a night creature attack there. I feel like all these things are connected somehow, and it’s very strange indeed. We’ll write to you and let you know once we find out more. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Be well, my friends.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your friend, always, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sypha Belnades of the Codrii Speakers</em>
</p><p>“Of course, that’s where Trevor’s mind would go.” Lucia huffed a short laugh, shaking her head. <em>Can the two of us even have children together? Is it physically possible for dhampirs? </em>She wondered, shaking her head as if to dislodge the thoughts.</p><p>“I’m slightly concerned about whatever strange things they say are going on in Lindenfeld, though,” Alucard said after a moment.</p><p>“So am I,” Lucia said quietly. “They say they’ll tell us when they know more, though. I hope we hear from them with more information soon.”</p><p>“Shall we write back to them, then?” Alucard asked, moving to grab a piece of parchment and a book to balance it on while he wrote. “Tell them about Sumi and Taka? I think Trevor would like to know that we were using the knowledge he left to me to teach a new generation of monster hunters.”</p><p>“I think he would, yes,” Lucia murmured, snuggling close to Alucard again, leaning in to kiss his cheek.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So…Do we have any plans for the rest of the night?” Sumi asked after dinner, as Lucia cleaned up and Alucard went down into the wine cellar to get a bottle for them.</p>
<p>“Not particularly,” Lucia replied, glancing over her shoulder at Sumi and Taka. “I thought we might give you both a proper tour of the castle. I know it can be a bit overwhelming at first, and I’ve certainly gotten lost.”</p>
<p>“A tour of the castle?” Taka asked, looking up to Lucia from where he was seated at the kitchen table, sitting up straighter with interest.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia replied with a short laugh. “I thought it would be good to know your way around, if you’re going to stay, and we’re going to train you…” she trailed off, glancing at them with a small smirk. “I also thought something sweet for dessert might also be fun.”</p>
<p>“Yes please,” Taka said immediately, his eyes lighting up.</p>
<p>Lucia nodded, moving to get the platter of strawberry jam tarts she had made earlier from the counter and setting them on the table as she sat down. “How do you feel about strawberries? We have so many, so I’ve been baking a lot of things with them.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know strawberries,” Taka admitted. “But you had me at baking things.”</p>
<p>“What are strawberries, though?” Sumi asked, carefully taking a bite of one of the tarts.</p>
<p>“Strawberries are a kind of fruit, a berry, as the name suggests. They grow on vines, mostly wild, but we have a few plants I’ve been taking care of. They’re very sweet,” Lucia said, taking a tart for herself.</p>
<p>“And you said we had more of these?” Sumi asked after she had finished chewing.</p>
<p>Lucia nodded, smirking slightly. “Yes, we do.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Sumi said decisively, smiling slightly. “Because I love them.”</p>
<p>Lucia laughed at that, and Sumi took another bite from her tart. Taka glanced quickly between Sumi and the platter of pastries, quickly reaching to grab several for himself. Alucard came back into the kitchen a moment later, balancing wine glasses in one hand and carrying a bottle with him.</p>
<p>“What’s this, then?” Alucard asked, tilting his head slightly.</p>
<p>“They both like strawberries, and jam tarts,” Lucia replied, nodding towards the platter on the table. Alucard hummed quietly, setting the glasses and bottle down.</p>
<p>“Of course, they do. You’re an excellent baker,” he murmured, leaning in to steal a quick kiss before opening the bottle and beginning to pour glasses of wine for each of them. “Taka…Sumi…Hm, I’m just getting used to saying other names again.”</p>
<p>Lucia bit her lip against a snicker, rolling her eyes slightly. <em>So dramatic, </em>she thought, settling back into her seat and taking a bite of her tart. Alucard passed her a glass of wine, and she smiled slightly at him.</p>
<p>“How long have you two been here on your own?” Taka asked.</p>
<p>“Oh <em>years,” </em>Alucard said, glancing at Lucia. She smirked slightly, resisting the urge to laugh.</p>
<p>“Or possibly a couple of months,” she added, taking a sip of her wine.</p>
<p>“So,” Alucard said. “You’ve seen the parlous condition of our new home.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t what we expected,” Sumi admitted, glancing down, then at Taka sitting next to her.</p>
<p>“Well…There was a small battle,” Alucard said, picking up his wine glass and swirling the contents of it for a moment, looking into it.</p>
<p>“It must have been a legendary battle,” Taka replied, leaning one arm on the table. Lucia bit the inside of her cheek, pursing her lips and glancing at Alucard.</p>
<p>“Mostly just desperate and sad,” Alucard said quietly, still peering into his wine glass. Lucia carefully reached for his free hand under the table, and Alucard squeezed it gently.</p>
<p>“What exactly happened to the mechanism that moves the castle?” Sumi asked after a moment.</p>
<p>“Sypha melted it,” Alucard replied, his voice wavering. He paused, taking another drink from his glass and squeezing Lucia’s hand a little tighter.</p>
<p>“The castle cannot move anymore,” Lucia said, looking first at Sumi, then Taka. “The engines that allowed it to move were completely destroyed during the battle.”</p>
<p>“Never mind,” Alucard said, turning back to Taka and Sumi. “So, you were a part of the court of this vampire you call Cho?”</p>
<p>“Yes, in northern Japan, far from anywhere,” Sumi replied. “We all lived in her secret fortress, <em>trapped</em> in her fortress.”</p>
<p>“We were given to Cho’s hidden court as children,” Taka added. “It amused her to have a human honor guard. Not that she needed guarding. Sometimes, it was her pleasure to have us allow a hunter to pass through her ranks and into the court.”</p>
<p>“This is how it was, every day,” Sumi said. “Some new horror, some new punishment, some new boastful exercise of her complete power over us. Every day was slavery. Every day was death. And we had to watch it all.”</p>
<p>“Cho was ancient and arrogant. She had lived forever where no army could reach her. No superior power could end her,” Taka continued. “We just watched, and learned.”</p>
<p>“We spent years studying how she lived, studying how she fought,” Sumi said. “We learned from her every victory, memorized her every weakness. Our lives became nothing but the development of plans to end her.”</p>
<p>“We read her books, and listened to her legend, and wished only for the chance to free out people from her teeth,” Taka said. “And then she left, summoned to Dracula’s war court.”</p>
<p>“We killed all her guards, and freed the people of the hidden court within days. But Cho was always going to come back,” Sumi continued. “So, we left to hunt her.”</p>
<p>“Because if she returns to the court, it will begin all over again,” Taka said, reaching for Sumi’s hand on the table. Sumi squeezed his hand tightly. “If she is truly dead, then other vampires will eventually take her court over, and our freedom will mean nothing.”</p>
<p>Lucia was silent for a long moment after Taka and Sumi finished speaking, outrage and hurt warring in her mind, and she struggled to form a coherent thought past those feelings for a moment. <em>This is why they came here, </em>she thought. <em>Hunting Cho must have quickly turned into trying to find the castle, since Cho was here. </em></p>
<p>“We need friends,” Sumi said, looking earnestly at Alucard. Alucard paused, then lifted his glass, finishing his wine.</p>
<p>“You need instruction. Perhaps one or two new weapons,” Alucard said. He paused, glancing at Lucia with a mischievous look in his eyes before turning back to Taka and Sumi, leaning his elbows on the table. “Maybe learn a little magic?”</p>
<p>“Magic?” Taka echoed, his eyes lighting up. “Really?”</p>
<p>“Yes, magic,” Lucia replied, smiling brightly.</p>
<p>“What do we think?” Alucard asked, a note of amusement in his voice.</p>
<p> “Yes!” Taka exclaimed, smiling brightly. “Please?”</p>
<p>Alucard nodded, smiling. Taka murmured excitedly under his breath, tugging at Sumi’s sleeve. Sumi smiled brightly at him in return before looking back to Alucard and Lucia.</p>
<p>“Lucia also mentioned giving us a tour of the castle. Could we…?” Sumi trailed off, glancing between them.</p>
<p>“Of course. We can show you around a bit,” Alucard said, offering Lucia a hand as he stood from the table. Lucia smiled, taking Alucard’s hand and squeezing it gently as she stood up.  </p>
<p>“Who’s this?” Taka asked, his voice pitching higher.</p>
<p>Lucia turned around to look and saw Taka kneeling on the floor just outside the kitchen, holding a hand out to Clarissa. Sumi joined him a moment later, quietly trying to coax the cat closer. Clarissa stood a few feet back, eyeing the pair warily, her ears pinned back against her head and the fur on her hackles slowly rising. Taka moved suddenly in an attempt to get closer, and Clarissa jumped, darting down the hall.</p>
<p>“That is Clarissa,” Lucia said, sighing slightly as she watched the cat go. “Alucard and I more or less adopted her, but she’s skittish around strangers, it seems.”</p>
<p>“She was a feral cat, Lucia,” Alucard said, rolling his eyes slightly.</p>
<p>“She eats out of your hand and falls asleep on your chest, purring, if you let her,” Lucia pointed out.</p>
<p>“We <em>feed </em>her,” Alucard replied.</p>
<p>“She likes us,” Lucia said. “Likely because we feed her, but still…Shall we get started on that tour I promise?”</p>
<p>Taka and Sumi nodded enthusiastically, and Sumi smiled brightly at them. “Please.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia wandered the halls later that night, searching for Alucard. She sniffed the air slightly, and followed his scent to the hallway where the fight had blown a large hole in the wall, through to the library on the other side. They had moved a wall tapestry over the hole in the hallway, and had ultimately taken Lucia’s suggestion of moving a bookcase on the other side in the library. In the small hallway in between, Alucard and Lucia had set up a small bookshelf and mattresses along the floor, with blankets and pillows to make a private reading nook. Lucia smiled at the memory of building it, ducking inside to find Alucard curled up with a book, a few more stacked next to him.</p>
<p>“What are you reading?” Lucia asked, sitting down next to him and curling into his side and peering over his shoulder.</p>
<p>“A book of simple combat spellcasting,” Alucard replied, shifting slightly to wrap an arm around her.</p>
<p>“For Taka?” Lucia asked, snickering fondly as she remembered Taka’s enthusiastic reaction to the idea earlier.</p>
<p>“Taka seemed particularly interested, yes,” Alucard replied, smiling slightly. “But do you think he could do it? He seems…a bit more impatient than Sumi.”</p>
<p>“He’s had enough patience and focus to become exceptionally skilled with archery, from what we know,” Lucia said, running a hand through her hair. “He may feel like his strengths are in staying a bit father back than close-quarters combat. Magic would allow him to do that a bit more. And he certainly seemed excited by the idea.”</p>
<p>“I think you’re right,” Alucard said after a long moment. “I wish Sypha were here, I’m sure she would love the chance to meet Taka, perhaps help us teach him, if he turns out to be particularly interested.”</p>
<p>Lucia laughed slightly, snuggling further into Alucard’s side. “I’m sure Sypha would have loved to help—and maybe show off a little—if she were here.”</p>
<p>Alucard and Lucia lapsed into silence for a few moments. Alucard continued to read, occasionally murmuring a spell under his breath to himself, tracing his hand up and down Lucia’s side. Lucia hummed quietly, snuggling closer to him and laying her head on his chest. She yawned softly, and Alucard chuckled.</p>
<p>“You’re not about to fall asleep on my chest too, are you?” he asked, amused.</p>
<p>“I might,” Lucia replied, smiling.</p>
<p>“And would you purr as well?” Alucard added, arching an eyebrow as he turned his head to look at her. Lucia chuckled slightly, a mischievous look in her eye.</p>
<p><em>“That</em> depends,” Lucia replied, smirking. Alucard seemed to draw up short, blushing faintly. He chuckled, ducking his head to steal a kiss from Lucia.</p>
<p>“What do you think, tomorrow we spar with Taka and Sumi?” Alucard asked after a moment. Lucia nodded, humming slightly.</p>
<p>“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I want to see what they know already, where their strengths are so we can sharpen them, see if there are things they’ll need to work on,” Lucia agreed.</p>
<p>“Perhaps show off a little yourself in doing so?” Alucard suggested, a note of amusement in his voice.</p>
<p>“Me, showing off?” Lucia asked incredulously, laughing as she nudged Alucard with her elbow. “That’s funny coming from <em>you.”</em></p>
<p>“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Alucard replied, a smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth. Lucia scoffed a short laugh, rolling her eyes. “In truth, I was hoping to have you watch as well. A second set of eyes never hurts, and I want to know what you would notice. And I’d like to study them while they fight as well, to look for all the things you mentioned.”</p>
<p>“We’ll switch, then. One of us will spar them, the other watches, and then the other spars,” Lucia said. “We’ll talk about what we saw from them afterwards.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps the two of us should spar together at one point, let them see how vampires would fight each other,” Alucard said after a moment.</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Lucia said, humming quietly and trailing her fingers idly across his chest.</p>
<p>Alucard sighed quietly, his arm tightening around Lucia and drawing her closer. He leaned in to kiss her temple, and Lucia smiled, humming slightly. She turned her head, leaning up to steal a kiss. Alucard leaned into the kiss, his free hand coming up to cup her cheek, leaning his forehead against Lucia’s when they separated.</p>
<p>“I love you,” Alucard murmured, brushing a stray piece of hair from Lucia’s face.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled brightly at him, her hand still resting on his chest. “I love you, too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, what do we have planned for today?” Taka asked as he, Sumi, Alucard, and Lucia walked. They had left the castle after breakfast, walking out to a clearing near the castle, but not quite all the way to the river.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled over her shoulder at him, glancing to Alucard. <em>“We</em> are going to spar with you a little bit this morning. Practice fighting. I want to see what you can both do before we start properly training you.”</p>
<p>“How are we going to do that?” Sumi asked, tilting her head slightly.</p>
<p>“I thought first I would spar with you both,” Alucard said. “Have Lucia watch, make notes of what you’re good at, what you may need more work on. And then we thought we’d switch; Lucia would spar with you, and I would watch.”</p>
<p>“Does that sound good to you both?” Lucia asked, quirking an eyebrow. Taka and Sumi exchanged a look with each other. Sumi nodded, smiling, but Taka looked a little more apprehensive, but he nodded once.</p>
<p>“Good,” Alucard said, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>He drew his sword a moment later, setting the sheath aside against a nearby tree. Lucia smiled slightly to herself, loosely crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the tree to watch. Alucard caught her gaze and smirked at her before whirling around to face Taka and Sumi, pointing his sword towards each of them in turn.</p>
<p>“Come,” Alucard said. “Show me how you attack.”</p>
<p>“I would, but you wouldn’t let me have my bow,” Taka said, swinging his sword at Alucard, who easily blocked the strike. Taka frowned, spinning around to strike at Alucard again. Lucia quirked an eyebrow in the split-second Taka’s back was to Alucard before Alucard blocked his next strike. Alucard disengaged their blades, driving Taka backwards.</p>
<p>“Archers run out of arrows all the time,” Alucard replied, one arm folded neatly behind his back. <em>How is it that he’s showing off and going easy on them at the same time? </em>Lucia wondered briefly. “I want to see how good you are when it comes down to a blade.”</p>
<p>Sumi laughed and rushed forward to attack Alucard. Lucia leaned forward slightly, eyes fixed on the two as Sumi attacked with more ferocity, more intent, than Taka had. There was more confidence behind her movements as she traded blows with Alucard, and she refused to give up ground, or be driven backwards. The two paused for a moment, their blades crossed, and Alucard smirked slightly as they circled each other.</p>
<p>Sumi lunged forward again, aiming a strike at Alucard’s side. When he moved to block, Taka rushed forward as well, and Alucard slashed at both of them, driving them back while he also took a long step back, leveling his sword at both of them, watching.</p>
<p>Taka and Sumi rushed forward, and Alucard kept them at bay with another long, sweeping slash of his sword. He traded quick blows with each of them, curious, testing strikes, before driving them back again and rushing past them. Lucia hummed softly to herself, tapping a finger against her lips, as she watched. <em>They’re not bad. Certainly not the worst self-proclaimed hunters I’ve ever seen, </em>Lucia thought. <em>But they need practice. Neither of them know what to do with a vampire’s speed. And it doesn’t seem like Alucard is using much of his strength here. He’s evading them, learning when and how they attack. And they’re moving together as a unit. Which is good. They know how to work together, but it may become a dependency they don’t always get the luxury of having. </em></p>
<p>“Why is your sword so long? I can’t get close,” Sumi said. Lucia grinned, laughing aloud at that. Taka gave her a wary sidelong look, but Lucia shook her head, nodding towards where Sumi was rushing towards Alucard again.</p>
<p>“You want to get close?” Alucard asked playfully.</p>
<p>When he blocked Sumi’s next strike, he twisted his blade to bring Sumi close to him, glaring slightly over their crossed blades as they stood nearly nose to nose. Sumi startled slightly, her eyes wide, but she did not back away. Alucard hissed, baring his fangs at her, and Lucia stifled another short laugh into her hand. Alucard disarmed Sumi in one fluid move before spinning to block Taka’s sword when he rushed at Alucard as well.</p>
<p><em>“Never</em> let a vampire in close,” Alucard said firmly. “I’m half-vampire, as is Lucia. Half of each of us wants you to step in close enough for us to bite out your throats.”</p>
<p>“That’s why I have a bow and arrows,” Taka replied.</p>
<p>Sumi approached from behind Alucard, quickly aiming a kick at his legs. Alucard did not fall, but stumbled enough to give Taka a moment to retrieve Sumi’s fallen sword, lunging at Alucard with both of them. Alucard struck quickly, and Taka crossed the swords in front of him to block.</p>
<p>“Get him Sumi!” Taka called.</p>
<p>Sumi tackled Alucard to the ground, knocking Taka off-balance as well, and the three of them tumbled into a heap on the grass, all of them laughing. Lucia pushed herself off of where she had been watching, sitting cross-legged on the ground nearby, laughing herself. Alucard propped himself up onto his elbows after a moment, leaning in to steal a kiss from Lucia.</p>
<p>“You have both just been eaten by vampires,” Alucard said, laughing slightly.</p>
<p>“No, we captured him and made him our slave,” Sumi replied playfully.</p>
<p>“And Lucia? Do you think you would have been able to fend her off afterwards?” Alucard asked.</p>
<p>“I think so,” Taka said, glancing at Lucia. Lucia hummed, smirking slightly.</p>
<p>“I might not be so sure,” Lucia replied. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re both skilled. I can tell you’ve trained. But I can also tell that neither of you is particularly familiar with the extent of a vampire’s speed or strength in a close combat scenario. Watching someone fight like that and experiencing it, fighting against it, are two different things. And I can tell you don’t have much experience with the latter. You’re good, but you still have a lot to learn.”</p>
<p>“I think I want to spar you, next, then,” Sumi said, turning her head to look curiously at Lucia. “You sound like you have a lot more experience.”</p>
<p>“In the practical sense that I’ve been fighting monsters my whole life, I do,” Lucia replied.</p>
<p>“I think it would do you both some good,” Alucard said. “And I think, if you’re up for it, I would want to watch you fight with Lucia. It gives us both a more complete image of how you fight.”</p>
<p>Taka sat up, eyeing Lucia almost warily, but he tilted his head curiously for a moment as if studying her. Sumi glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, before they both turned to Lucia and nodded.</p>
<p>“On your feet, then,” Lucia said, pushing herself up to her feet. Sumi stood as well, and Taka scrambled to his feet. Alucard smiled slightly, standing to step back, leaning against a tree the way Lucia had when she watched them.</p>
<p>Lucia drew her sword, taking up a defensive stance and leveling her sword at Taka and Sumi. Taka still looked hesitant, but Sumi lunged forward to slash at her. Lucia blocked the strike, fanning Sumi’s sword away, pushing her back a step. Her ears twitched towards the sound of Taka approaching, and Lucia spun quickly to slash at him, moving forward with the strike and lightly tapping his side with the flat of her blade, to let him know she would have hit him if she had tried to.</p>
<p>Taka raised his sword to strike again, and Lucia blocked, allowing his blade to slide across hers as she ducked under his arm and stepped behind him, tapping the back of his knee as she did. Taka whirled around to face her again, taking a step back with a short yelp when Lucia slashed at him. Sumi rushed forward again, and Lucia blocked the strike, their blades crossed. Sumi narrowed her eyes, pushing back against Lucia’s sword. Lucia hummed, pushing back with a little more strength than necessary, smirking slightly when Sumi did not back down, and instead made to push back more forcefully. Lucia lifted her arm to redirect their blades up, ducking under Sumi’s arm, then bringing her sword down. Sumi’s momentum carried her forward, and she stumbled a few steps when Lucia’s resistance was no longer there.</p>
<p>Taka and Sumi both paused for a moment, glancing at each other before looking back at Lucia. She tilted her head slightly, leveling her sword at them. They both rushed towards her a moment later, and Lucia slashed her sword in a wide arc as they approached. Taka danced back, watching warily.</p>
<p>Sumi blocked her strike, fanning it away from her in an attempt to drive Lucia back. Lucia hummed curiously, but moved back with the strike. Sumi moved forward as well, smirking as she redoubled her attacks on Lucia. Their blades crossed again, and Sumi twisted her wrist in a move that disarmed Lucia. Sumi stood, staring wide-eyed for a moment. Taka made a small, surprised sound. Lucia glanced at Alucard out of the corner of her eye and saw him leaning forward with interest, raising his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Not bad. Very good, actually” Lucia said, grinning. She moved in a blur of red after a moment, drawing her dagger. “But what now?”</p>
<p>Taka and Sumi glanced at each other for a moment, confused. Lucia’s grin widened as she looked between the two of them, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Behind her, she heard Alucard snicker slightly.</p>
<p>“You would fight two people with swords with just your dagger?” Sumi asked, tilting her head slightly.</p>
<p>“I’ve fought much more frightening things than you two with less,” Lucia said.</p>
<p>With that, Lucia lunged forward in a flash of red, pausing briefly in front of Taka. He startled slightly, but moved to strike at her. Lucia ducked under his arm, jabbing at his ribs with her free hand, and smacking at his knees with the flat of her blade. She quickly evaded his next strike, moving around and behind him and striking at him again.</p>
<p>Out of the corner of her eye, Lucia saw Sumi move towards them. She gave Taka a small shove away and lunged towards Sumi, blocking her strike with her dagger, fanning the blade away from herself. Sumi remained close, and fought to gain ground as she moved through another series of strikes. Lucia blocked the final strike, their blades crossed.</p>
<p>“I can get closer when you fight with your dagger,” Sumi said, smirking slightly.</p>
<p>“You can,” Lucia agreed. She fanned Sumi’s blade away, moving behind her in a flash of red, twisting one of her arms behind her, holding the dagger at her neck. “But what did Alucard just tell you about letting us in close?”</p>
<p>Lucia let go of Sumi a moment later, nudging her away. Her ears twitched towards where she heard Taka approaching her, and she spun around in time to evade him running to tackle her, but she laughed slightly and let him get close enough to grab his collar and the sleeve of his shirt, throwing him over her as they landed and moving to straddle his torso, pinning his hands above his head with one of hers. Sumi moved towards her again, and Lucia turned slightly towards her, pressing the flat of her dagger to the inside of Sumi’s thigh.</p>
<p>“And with that, I think Lucia’s got you both,” Alucard said, pushing off the tree he had been leaning against to approach them. Lucia sheathed her dagger again, and Taka hummed thoughtfully before glancing at Sumi.</p>
<p>“Sumi! Get her!” he called, laughing, and Sumi moved to tackle Lucia to the ground.</p>
<p>Lucia landed on the ground with an oof, laughing as well, and scrambling to disentangle herself from Taka and Sumi. Taka pushed himself up onto his elbows, still laughing, and Sumi rolled onto her back, glancing over at him. Alucard walked over to sit nearby, sprawling elegantly on the grass and leaning over to steal a kiss from Lucia.</p>
<p>“You were holding back on them,” Alucard said softly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind Lucia’s ear.</p>
<p>“She was what?” Taka asked, sitting up straight suddenly, looking over at Lucia. “You were what? You hand me my ass and pin me to the ground, and you were what?”</p>
<p>“Alucard was holding back too,” Lucia replied. “We don’t want you to think this training will be easy, of course. But…I don’t want to wreck your confidence first thing either.”</p>
<p>“And this bout was more so that Lucia and I could test you a bit, to see what we’re working with,” Alucard added, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>“You’re working with hungry people,” Sumi said with a short laugh, gently nudging Alucard’s leg with her foot.</p>
<p>“I could eat lunch,” Taka added.</p>
<p>“Alright, fine,” Alucard replied, smiling. “After which you’re going to show me how you attack from a distance.”</p>
<p>“And after that?” Taka asked.</p>
<p>“After that we’ll see what’s in the armory that might suit you better,” Alucard said, standing up and offering a hand to Lucia. She smiled, taking Alucard’s hand and allowing him to pull her to her feet.</p>
<p>“And then, we may talk about simple combat spellcasting,” Lucia added. “Alucard stayed up late last night looking through some books for you, Taka.”</p>
<p>“But first, I will magic you greedy children up some food,” Alucard said, snickering slightly. Lucia laughed slightly, lacing her fingers with Alucard’s. Taka and Sumi laughed softly as well, exchanging a look with each other that felt almost as if a silent conversation passed between them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fernando and Striga stood in the war room, several maps spread out in front of them and small, carved wooden markers placed across the maps to mark the positions of Styria’s troops, known human towns in the territory they were focusing on, and a small blue marker placed farther west to mark where Fernando’s troops would be coming from when they arrived.</p>
<p>“This fucking scheme,” Striga muttered as she poured over the map Carmilla had had drawn up. “This is a logistic nightmare. This is what she does, the horrible bitch pulls this stuff out of thin air and expects us to make it happen.”</p>
<p>“We can make this happen, Striga,” Fernando said, his voice low, but calm and smooth as he stared at the map with piercing blue eyes.</p>
<p>“How?” Striga asked, narrowing her eyes at him. “Your troops won’t be here for weeks yet, we have no idea what the lay of the land is like in this territory, where we could build watchtowers, how many towns there are, or where.”</p>
<p>“So, we need more information,” Fernando said easily, shrugging one shoulder.</p>
<p>“We need much more information,” Striga echoed. “We’d also have to find soldiers for rotating sweeper patrols on this eight-hundred-mile-long border.”</p>
<p>“We have Hector,” Fernando replied. “And we will still have our own forces as well.”</p>
<p>“And not only will we have to keep them fed, but we will need to find fresh bodies for Hector to forge,” Striga said, crossing her arms over her chest.</p>
<p>Fernando smiled, his fangs glinting in the candlelight of the war room. “We’ll also need to take over towns along the border. I believe those two problems may solve each other. We fight, we take over towns, we have a steady supply of bodies for Hector’s forging.”</p>
<p>“Fair point,” Striga said, raising her eyebrows, almost impressed. “But we would still need to build watchtowers, fight to take over towns. We’d have to find out how many towns are in the area, and where, and how quickly we can take them over. Then we’d have to form fortified camps to concentrate all the humans in…It will not be easy.”</p>
<p>“No,” Fernando agreed, shaking his head slightly. “No, it will not. But…I may be able to help with our information problem.”</p>
<p>“Oh really? How so?” Striga asked.</p>
<p>Fernando chuckled slightly, and his form shifted after a moment before he disappeared into a dark cloud of mist. Fernando, in the form of mist now, dissipated into a dark fog, lingering along the floor, twisting between the legs of the table and chairs before rematerializing near Striga, inclining his head when she turned to look at him.</p>
<p>“Cute trick. Lenore can do it too,” Striga said flatly.</p>
<p>“But has Lenore ever used it to spy on your enemies?” Fernando asked.</p>
<p>“She has not,” Striga said after a moment, pursing her lips. “Organizing spies is typically Morana’s strong suit. Lenore doesn’t trust anyone else that much, Carmilla never plans that close to the present, and I do not like spies. They have no honor, sneaking around, and selling secrets to the highest bidder.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to find good espionage support these days,” Fernando said, nodding. “It’s why I do my own reconnaissance. Besides, spies can get caught. No one looks twice at a fog that rolls in at nightfall, assuming they even see it.”     </p>
<p>“So, you would use this trick of yours to go through the territory and gather more intelligence?” Striga asked.</p>
<p>“That would be the plan, yes,” Fernando replied. “It would make it significantly easier for us to plan for battling the towns once we know where they are, and how many men at arms they have. I would also then be able to give us an accurate map of the lay of the land, strategic locations for watchtowers and camps and the like…Do we have a plan?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.</p>
<p>“We have a plan,” Striga replied, the corners of her mouth quirking up in a faint smile.  </p>
<hr/>
<p>“We need a new plan,” Taka said, flopping unceremoniously onto the bed in his and Sumi’s room.</p>
<p>“We need Alucard and Lucia to tell us more about the castle,” Sumi replied, shaking her head slightly as she paced back and forth across the room. “We need to find out how it works, how it can be fixed, so that we can move it to Japan.”</p>
<p>“Lucia and Alucard may not help us with that,” Taka said uncertainly. “They seem to have every intention of staying here. Training us, yes, but…Staying here after we leave.”</p>
<p>“Then we gain their trust, convince them that we need them, and the castle, to move to Japan to help us,” Sumi said easily, as if any of her plan would be easy.</p>
<p>“That will take time,” Taka countered. “It will take time to gain their trust, probably time to fix the castle. And I have never known you to be so patient.”</p>
<p>“Well then we’re back to the original plan, aren’t we?” Sumi asked, raising an eyebrow. “We kill them both and then take the castle.”</p>
<p>“We can’t even beat one of them in a fight right now,” Taka said, rolling his eyes as he sat up. “Alucard says they were holding back sparring us, and they still beat us both.”</p>
<p>“You’re right, we can’t beat them right now,” Sumi said, tapping a finger against her chin. She glanced over at Taka. “Not in a fair fight. But that is why we’re here, to learn how to kill vampires.”</p>
<p>“And I’m sure with all the knowledge in the castle, and the Belmont Hold, there are certainly more effective ways to fight vampires than what we know now,” Taka said. “Probably special weapons, maybe magic ones, and magic that can be used against them.”</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Sumi said, smiling slightly. “We can ask tomorrow, since Alucard said he wanted to show us the armory anyway.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lucia found Alucard in the library after dinner, sitting in the window seat Lucia often sat in to read. He had a sketchbook in his lap and he was staring intently at whatever he was working on. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his long golden-blond hair tied into a slightly disheveled ponytail at the nape of his neck.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled as she watched him work for a moment before approaching and gently brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. Alucard glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, smiling slightly before he gently caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. Lucia returned the smile, moving to sit across from him on the window seat, tucking one leg under herself.</p>
<p>“What are you working on?” Lucia asked, nodding towards the sketchbook in Alucard’s lap.</p>
<p>“Oh!” Alucard blushed, his face turning bright pink, and Lucia found herself both infinitely curious and resisting the urge to lean in and kiss him. “It’s just a sketch. I have not had the opportunity to draw in a long while. I’d forgotten how much I missed it, and…it seems my skills have gotten a little out of practice.”</p>
<p>“Would you let me see it? Or something that you’ve drawn?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Alucard said slowly, carefully closing the book. “Perhaps I’ll show you this one, once it’s finished.”</p>
<p>“Alright,” Lucia replied, leaning over to kiss Alucard gently, planting one hand on the cushions to balance herself. Alucard hummed slightly into the kiss, one hand coming up to gently cup Lucia’s cheek.</p>
<p>“I love you,” Alucard murmured as he pulled back from the kiss, leaning his forehead against Lucia’s.</p>
<p>“I love you, too,” Lucia murmured back, smiling slightly. “I was going to head up to bed. Would you care to join me?”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Alucard quirked an eyebrow, smirking slightly, playfully.</p>
<p>“I hadn’t meant it like <em>that,”</em> Lucia said with a short laugh. “But I wouldn’t be opposed.”</p>
<p>Alucard chuckled slightly at that, and stood up, offering Lucia his hand. Lucia smiled as she took it, allowing Alucard to pull her to her feet, lacing their fingers and gently squeezing his hand as they walked up to their shared bedroom. Once there, they quickly changed into nightclothes, and Lucia sat on the bed gently brushing her hair, gathering it over her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Would you like help with that?” Alucard asked, tilting his head slightly.</p>
<p>“Please?” Lucia smiled, offering the brush to him.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Alucard replied, taking the brush from her.</p>
<p>He moved to sit on the bed behind Lucia, positioning himself so she sat between his legs. Lucia hummed softly as Alucard gathered her hair back, his fingers lightly tracing across her shoulders for a moment before he began brushing. He set the brush aside after a few moments, idly running his fingers through Lucia’s hair. Lucia gave a soft sigh, leaning back into the touch.</p>
<p>“Enjoying yourself?” Alucard asked, a light, teasing note in his voice.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia replied, snickering slightly and letting her eyes flutter shut. <em>Very much, as a matter of fact, </em>she thought. <em>This is…very nice. </em></p>
<p>“Good,” Alucard murmured, continuing to run his hands through her hair and beginning to weave it into a braid.</p>
<p>Once he had finished the braid, Lucia felt him lean closer, and he pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. Lucia smiled slightly, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck. Alucard hummed softly as he continued to trail kisses over her shoulder and up her neck, his arms wrapping around her waist. Alucard paused to nip gently at Lucia’s earlobe, and she inhaled sharply, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.</p>
<p>“Make love to me?” Alucard murmured, kissing Lucia’s cheek and nuzzling slightly against her cheek with his nose. “Please?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia murmured back, tilting her head to capture his lips in a kiss. She turned around in his arms to face him fully, gently pushing him back against the pillows.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“There is another armory down in the Belmont Hold,” Alucard said as he and Lucia led Taka and Sumi into the castle’s armory. It was a large, long room, with various weapons on racks along the walls, and a long table in the center of the room with various knives and smaller weapons laid out on it.</p>
<p>“If the short swords we used in sparring yesterday aren’t weapons you prefer, we’ll find others here or in the Hold that suit you better,” Lucia added, drifting over to a rack of spears, trailing her fingers over the weapons as she walked.</p>
<p>“What sort of other weapons?” Taka asked. “Are there more bows and arrows in here?”</p>
<p>“There are arrows, yes. And they may or may not be enchanted,” Alucard replied. “But I think you should keep the bow you’ve been using. It’s one you are used to wielding by now, you know its quirks, and how it works. You’re familiar with the weapon.”</p>
<p>“Fair point,” Taka said, nodding once. “I’d be interested in enchanted arrows, though. And you mentioned combat spellcasting as well…?”</p>
<p>“I have found a book or two for you about combat spells, if you’re still interested?” Alucard asked with a small smirk.</p>
<p>“I am, definitely, yes,” Taka replied, smiling and nodding enthusiastically.</p>
<p>Sumi snickered slightly, moving to the table to examine some of the knives. Lucia hummed softly, sidling up next to her. Sumi glanced sideways at her, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>“Are you familiar with knives, Lucia?” Sumi asked.</p>
<p>“Very,” Lucia replied, snickering slightly. “My aunt is very well-practiced in knife-throwing, and she prefers knives and daggers when she needs a particularly close-range weapon. I’ve picked up the habit, a little, and learned how to use daggers. I could show you a thing or two, if you’d like…” she trailed off, unrolling a strip of fabric on the table to reveal several sharp daggers.</p>
<p>Sumi made a small sound in the back of her throat, nodding as she peered over Lucia’s shoulder. Carefully, she reached for one of the daggers, turning it over in her hands and slashing through the air a few times as if to test the weapon. Lucia smirked slightly as she watched.</p>
<p>“I <em>like </em>these,” Sumi said decisively.</p>
<p>“Good,” Lucia replied with a short laugh. “We can work with them a little later. Taka, how do you feel about blades?”</p>
<p>“I’d still prefer my bow,” Taka admitted, shouldering a quiver full of arrows Alucard had given him. “But I understand why you and Alucard are insistent on me learning how to use one better.”</p>
<p>“How would you feel about dual-wielding blades?” Lucia asked, tilting her head and glancing at Alucard. He smiled, reaching behind him for a pair of swords set against the wall. “Not as a replacement for your bow, but…as an addition? For when you run out of arrows?”  </p>
<p>“If I can hardly handle one blade, what makes you think I would be good with two?” Taka asked, but took the swords when Alucard offered them to him.</p>
<p>“You’re used to your arms and upper body moving as complements to one another when you do archery,” Lucia explained. “The principle is the same with dual blades. Your arms move almost opposite to each other, as they do when your bow arm pushes forward while your other pulls back to nock an arrow.”</p>
<p>“And you already have good hand-eye coordination,” Alucard added.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Taka said quietly, inclining his head towards both Alucard and Lucia.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Lucia replied, smiling slightly, and drifted back over towards the rack of spears. She hummed thoughtfully as she hefted one off the rack. <em>I haven’t practiced with a spear in a long while, </em>she thought, looking up and down at the weapon, adjusting her grip on it. “Alucard? Can I…?”</p>
<p>“Outside,” Alucard said, a note of amusement in his voice. “You can do whatever you like with that spear—and I would love to see you train with it—but outside.”</p>
<p>Lucia snickered slightly, rolling her eyes. “Did you really think I was going to start swinging a spear like this around in the middle of the armory?”</p>
<p>“I may not have put it past you,” Alucard replied, looking fondly at her.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” Sumi asked. “Don’t you trust her?”</p>
<p>“I trust Lucia implicitly. I would put my life in her hands, and I have,” Alucard said. “But once you live with her as long as I have, you learn to recognize that look on her face, that lilt to her voice, as something devious, and dangerous.”</p>
<p>“Alright, fine,” Lucia said with a short laugh. “I’ll take the spear outside, but you’re going to spar with me with it.”</p>
<p>“I would be interested in watching that match,” Taka said, glancing between the two of them.</p>
<p>“Would you now?” Alucard asked, quirking an eyebrow at Taka.</p>
<p>“Well, yes,” Taka said. “If we watch you two spar, we get to learn more about how you fight, so that we know for the next time we spar you.”</p>
<p>“It would also help us learn more about how vampires would really fight, and how they would fight each other,” Sumi added.</p>
<p>“They make a fair point,” Lucia said, glancing at Alucard and tilting her head slightly. “What do you say?”</p>
<p>“Alright,” Alucard replied, smiling slightly at her, and a moment later they left the armory, heading outside to the clearing in front of the castle the four of them had taken to using for training.</p>
<p>Lucia bounced on the balls of her feet, adjusting her grip on the spear. She huffed a stray piece of hair from her face as she studied Alucard. He stood a bit away from her, his sword drawn and leveled in her direction. His golden eyes locked on her and he quirked and eyebrow. Lucia smirked slightly in response.</p>
<p>“Waiting for me to attack?” Alucard asked, a playful note in his voice. “Very well.”</p>
<p>Alucard disappeared in a flash of red, rushing forward to slash at Lucia. She took a step back to avoid the strike, lunging forward to strike at him. Alucard parried the strike and moved to counter it, while Lucia took a step to the side. She slashed at Alucard’s side before spinning around behind him and taking a step back, gripping her spear.</p>
<p>The two circled each other for a moment, before Lucia lunged forward, slashing at Alucard’s legs, stepping diagonally forward to slash at his ribs as well. Alucard whirled around to catch her second strike, the blade sliding along the shaft of her spear with a metallic screech and a shower of sparks. Lucia grinned fiercely, redirecting their weapons upwards, and ducking under Alucard’s arm.</p>
<p>Alucard spun, slashing at Lucia again, grazing her side. She hissed slightly, even as the wound already began to heal. Lucia lunged forward again, striking again at Alucard and knocking him off-balance, hooking her spear behind his knee and sweeping it out from under him. She moved to plant her knee on his chest, her other foot behind her, between Alucard’s legs, and leveled her spear at his neck.</p>
<p>“I yield,” Alucard said softly, looking up at Lucia with a small smirk.</p>
<p>Lucia laughed slightly, putting aside the spear and getting up. She offered a hand to Alucard to help him up. Alucard reeled Lucia into him as he stood, gently wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her quickly. Lucia smiled slightly up at him as she pulled back, kissing the tip of his nose before disentangling herself from him.</p>
<p>“You really were holding back when you fought us yesterday,” Taka said quietly, blinking owlishly at them for a moment.</p>
<p>“That was impressive,” Sumi added, nodding.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia replied, smiling.</p>
<p>“Mind you, Lucia and I are not full vampires,” Alucard said, retrieving his sword from where he had dropped it and sheathing it at his side. “And the fighting styles of vampires vary as much between individual vampires as they do among humans. However, training with Lucia and I will give you a bit more of an idea of what to expect.”</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Lucia agreed, nodding, beginning to lead the group back towards the castle. “I’m thinking we go in for dinner, and then perhaps more of a tour of the castle? There’s a lot I know you haven’t seen yet.”</p>
<p>“Yes please,” Sumi said, smiling brightly.</p>
<p>Clarissa trotted out of the castle a moment later, carefully making her way over to the group. She purred softly, weaving her way between Lucia and Alucard’s legs, gently headbutting them. Alucard smiled down at the cat, wearing the small red ribbon he had tied for her, and reached down to scratch behind her ears.</p>
<p>“Hi Clarissa,” Sumi said softly, slowly crouching down to her level and extending a hand for Clarissa to sniff.</p>
<p>Clarissa paused, eyeing Sumi warily. She took a step back, her tail flicking nervously behind her. Alucard reached to scratch behind her ears again, murmuring something soft under his breath. Clarissa seemed to relax slightly, stretching her head forward to carefully sniff Sumi’s hand. Sumi’s eyes widened, and she smiled slightly, reaching to scratch under Clarissa’s chin. Clarissa, however, hissed slightly and scrambled backwards, the hair on the back of her neck rising.</p>
<p>“She doesn’t like us,” Taka said, pouting slightly and looking terribly sad. Sumi hummed quietly, standing back up as Clarissa turned and ran back to the castle.  </p>
<p>“She’ll get used to you,” Lucia replied, giving Taka and Sumi a small smile.</p>
<p>“She’s a skittish thing. It took Lucia and I a long while to gain her trust,” Alucard added. “But she will warm up to you both, I’m sure.”</p>
<p>“What does she eat?” Sumi asked, tilting her head slightly. “Maybe if Taka and I feed her, she will get used to us?”</p>
<p>“She usually finds her own food,” Lucia replied. “But Alucard and I feed her pieces of meat sometimes, when we make it, or when we have dried meat or jerky.”</p>
<p>“We can see if she’ll take some from one of you sometime,” Alucard agreed. “But, for now… I believe we said something about dinner? Lucia makes a delicious polenta, if you’d like that for dinner?”</p>
<p>“What’s polenta?” Taka asked, tilting his head slightly. Lucia glanced at Alucard, and the two of them shared a look.</p>
<p>“I know what we’re making for dinner,” Lucia said, smiling slightly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p>
<p>Head's up for smut at the end of the chapter, after the space break!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You keep plants…inside the castle?” Sumi asked curiously as she and Taka trailed a half-step behind Lucia and Alucard.</p>
<p>“Yes!” Lucia smiled brightly over her shoulder.</p>
<p>“How does that work? Don’t most plants need to grow outside with sunlight?” Taka asked, tilting his head slightly.</p>
<p>“The greenhouse is built of mostly glass,” Alucard explained. “So, the plants get sunlight, and it keeps the heat inside so it is warm enough for them to grow year-round. Many of them need a much warmer climate than Wallachia to grow.”</p>
<p>“And why is that?” Sumi asked. “Did Dracula gather these different kinds of plants when he travelled with the castle?”</p>
<p>Alucard tensed. It was a subtle thing, and only lasted a moment, but Lucia caught sight of it, biting the inside of her cheek. She moved closer to Alucard, and her hand crept into his, giving him a reassuring squeeze.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard said simply after a moment. “Father often travelled with the castle, before he met my mother. And he acquired various plant specimens to study from the different places he visited. He kept books about them, and about recipes for various foods you could cook with them. We could show you if you like?”</p>
<p>“You had me at food,” Taka said, laughing slightly. “It seems like the castle could travel to all sorts of faraway places.”  </p>
<p>“Oh yes. The castle could have traveled to anywhere in the world, once,” Alucard said, opening the door to the greenhouse and ushering them inside.</p>
<p>Taka and Sumi murmured under their breath in awe, looking around with wide, curious eyes. Lucia smiled, laughing slightly as she watched them move through the room, flitting around the room and chattering quietly to each other. Sumi paused in front of a small bush with pink flowers with round petals, and glossy dark green leaves.</p>
<p>“Taka!” Sumi called, smiling brightly.  “It’s a <em>yuki-tsubaki!</em>”</p>
<p>Taka’s eyes lit up, and he was at Sumi’s side immediately, trailing his fingers lightly over one of the flowers. Lucia glanced curiously at Alucard, who shrugged one shoulder. Lucia looped her arm through his, gently drawing him over to Taka and Sumi.</p>
<p>“What’s a <em>yuki-tsubaki?” </em>Lucia asked, tilting her head curiously as she looked at the plant.</p>
<p>“It’s a plant that grows in Japan,” Sumi said, smiling. “We have not seen them anywhere else we have traveled on our way here to find the castle.”</p>
<p>“It must mean that Dracula visited Japan with the castle at some point,” Taka said. He glanced over at Sumi, and it was as if a silent conversation passed between them. Lucia hummed quietly.</p>
<p>“It’s one of the first flowers that blooms in spring,” Sumi said, trailing her fingers over one of the flowers. “Its branches seem to just, pop up from the last of the snow. A bit of hope, when all the world seems dark and dreary.”</p>
<p> Alucard hummed quietly, smiling slightly as he trailed his fingers over another nearby plant. “It’s a lovely sentiment. And the flowers are beautiful. It seems there are two such bushes. Would you two like to take care of them?”</p>
<p>“You would let us come up here to do that?” Taka asked. “Whenever we wanted to?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Alucard said, nodding. Taka and Sumi both smiled brightly in response.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“I thought I might find you up here,” Alucard said softly as he came up to the astronomy tower.</p>
<p>Lucia tilted her head back to look at him, smiling from where she sat on the floor, nestled in a pile of blankets and pillows with a book about astronomy open on her lap. Alucard smiled slightly, sitting down next to Lucia and drawing her into a gentle kiss. Lucia hummed quietly, smiling against Alucard’s lips, leaning against his side when she pulled away.</p>
<p>“You brought your sketchbook,” Lucia noted, glancing at the book Alucard had settled in his lap. “It’s a bit dark to work up here, no?”</p>
<p>“I can manage,” Alucard replied. “I had wanted to draw the view from up here at night. Though now I fear I may be distracted watching you stargaze, Lucia.”</p>
<p>“Oh? Is that so?” Lucia replied, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Perhaps simply watching you, then,” Alucard said, reaching to tuck a stray piece of hair behind Lucia’s ear. “And how your eyes are a perfect reflection of the stars…You’re beautiful, Lucia. Breathtakingly so.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Alucard,” Lucia replied, smiling up at him and feeling her face heat up.</p>
<p>“Would you like to see some of them? The drawings?” Alucard asked after a moment, glancing down at his sketchbook.</p>
<p>“I would love to,” Lucia replied, smiling at him and gently taking the sketchbook when Alucard offered it to her.</p>
<p>The sketches were done with various charcoals. Lucia slowly flipped through pages of various landscapes, from different vantage points in the castle, and she could tell where Alucard had seemed to familiarize himself with drawing again. Suddenly his subjects changed, as Lucia turned a page to reveal a very realistic portrait style sketch of a woman who looked achingly like Alucard, her hair pulled over one shoulder in a loose braid and tied with a ribbon. She was smiling, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. <em>This must be Alucard’s mother, Lisa, </em>Lucia thought, smiling slightly as she studied the drawing. <em>He looks so much like her. </em></p>
<p>The next sketches Lucia looked through were done in a similar style, and just as painstakingly detailed. There were more sketches of Lisa, and a few of Trevor, Sypha, and the two of them together, Sypha seemingly frozen while animatedly telling a story, her hands gesturing wildly in front of her, her eyes bright and sparkling even in charcoal, and Trevor looking at her with one eyebrow raised in an expression of fond bemusement.</p>
<p>“Alucard, these are incredible,” Lucia murmured, smiling brightly up at him. “You’re very talented.”</p>
<p>“I—Thank you,” Alucard replied, and even in the low light, Lucia could see him blush.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Lucia said, leaning up to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth before turning her attention back to the sketchbook.</p>
<p>“Wait, Lucia, I…” Alucard trailed off, ducking his head as Lucia turned the page to the next sketch. Lucia murmured under her breath, her eyes widening slightly.</p>
<p>It was a sketch of Lucia, from the shoulders up. Her hair was pulled back in a braid over her shoulder, light catching in strands of it. She was looking sidelong at the viewer, something mischievous in her eyes, and a small smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.</p>
<p>“Lucia, I am <em>so sorry,” </em>Alucard said, tentatively reaching for Lucia’s hand. “I—I should have asked you, before I drew it.”</p>
<p>“You don’t have anything to apologize for, Alucard,” Lucia said softly, gently squeezing Alucard’s hand and turning to smile up at him. “It’s beautiful, and I’m flattered that you were…inspired by me.”</p>
<p>“How could I not be?” Alucard asked, his voice barely a whisper as he carefully reached to brush back a lock of hair from Lucia’s face. “When you are the most radiant, beautiful woman I have ever met.”</p>
<p>“Alucard,” Lucia breathed, blushing faintly and leaning in to kiss him. She set aside both the sketchbook and the astronomy book somewhere off the blankets, shifting closer to Alucard and cradling his face in her hands. “You’re so sweet to me, did you know that?”</p>
<p>“I would never want to be anything else to you,” Alucard murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist and gently tugging her to lay on top of him as he leaned back against the pillows and blankets. “I know I’ve said, but you truly are beautiful, Lucia.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Lucia murmured, one hand resting on Alucard’s chest. Her other came up to brush a stray piece of hair from his face, gently running her fingers through his hair.</p>
<p>Alucard sighed softly under her touch, tilting his head back slightly. Lucia smiled, leaning in to kiss him. Her hand moved more purposefully through his hair, tugging lightly, tilting his head back so Lucia could trail her mouth down Alucard’s neck. Alucard moaned quietly when Lucia nipped lightly at his collarbone, his hands wandering up and down her back. </p>
<p>“Is this alright with you, Alucard?” Lucia murmured against his skin.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard breathed. He arched into Lucia’s touch, pressing himself against her. Lucia hummed quietly, her breath hitching when Alucard gently squeezed her hips before moving to tentatively cup her backside. “Is <em>this</em> alright with <em>you?”</em></p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia replied, leaning in to kiss him again, her hands slipping under the hem of his shirt and lightly training up his stomach and chest.</p>
<p>Alucard moaned against Lucia’s lips, reluctantly pulling his hands back and sitting up to let Lucia tug his shirt up and over his head. He trailed his hands down Lucia’s sides as soon as he could, settling them at the small of her back and pressing her flush against him. Lucia moaned softly, leaning in to kiss him again, her hands coming up to tangle in his hair.</p>
<p>Lucia nipped gently, teasingly, at Alucard’s bottom lip when she pulled back. Alucard moaned softly, leaning in to suck gently at Lucia’s bottom lip, pulling her closer to him. Lucia let out a quiet laugh, running her hands through Alucard’s hair, tugging gently.</p>
<p>“You’re going to be the death of me, I swear,” Alucard murmured, his hands slipping under her shirt to caress her skin. Lucia hummed softly in reply, pulling back enough to pull her shirt off.</p>
<p>“You don’t exactly sound like you’re complaining,” Lucia teased, leaning in to steal a kiss from him.</p>
<p>“Not at all,” Alucard replied, smiling gently as his fingers found the waistband of her pants. “May I?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia breathed, kissing him again, nipping at his bottom lip.</p>
<p>Alucard gave a soft sigh in response, his hands making quick work of both Lucia’s pants and his own. Lucia moved to sit in his lap again, kissing him. Alucard’s hands found her hips, squeezing as he pulled her closer to him. Lucia moaned softly against Alucard’s lips, pulling back just enough to press her forehead against his, smiling slightly. Alucard smiled back, leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose as one hand trailed up the inside of her thigh, his touch teasingly light. Lucia’s breath hitched as he trailed a finger between her folds, and Alucard paused to look up at her, a silent question in his eyes. Lucia smiled almost mischievously, nodding. She leaned in to kiss him, muffling her moans against his lips when he began to work his fingers over her, inside her with practiced ease.</p>
<p>“Lucia?” Alucard murmured, his lips brushing against hers. Lucia hummed curiously in response. <em>“Please</em> fuck me.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Lucia murmured, tilting her head to catch his lips in a kiss as she reached one hand down to wrap her fingers around his cock. Alucard gasped sharply against her lips, though it cut off with a moan as Lucia continued to stroke him slowly for a few moments.</p>
<p>“Lucia, I—Lucia, <em>please,”</em> Alucard murmured, his breath catching as his hips jerked slightly, pressing himself into Lucia’s touch.</p>
<p>Lucia murmured under her breath, stealing a quick kiss as she readjusted herself in Alucard’s lap, slowly sliding down onto him with a soft gasp. Alucard moaned loudly, wrapping his arms around Lucia’s waist, hugging her close and burying his face in the crook of her neck. Lucia wound her arms around his neck, carding her hands through Alucard’s hair.</p>
<p>“Are you alright, Alucard?” Lucia asked softly, beginning to rock her hips.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Alucard replied, pulling her closer to him, mouthing at her neck and shoulder. Lucia’s breath hitched at that, and she let out a soft moan. “Yes, I—This is perfect. I just…I want to hold you close.”</p>
<p>“How can I say no to that?” Lucia murmured, pressing a kiss to the corner of Alucard’s mouth and rolling her hips against him.</p>
<p>Alucard let out a quiet moan, his arms tightening around Lucia before he trailed one hand down her back to rest at her hip, his other tracing slow circles over her shoulder blades. Lucia tilted her head back to kiss him again, her breath hitching when Alucard’s hips bucked under her. His hand at her hip squeezed gently as Lucia continued to move against him. He trailed his hand lower to rub small circles over her clit with his thumb, eliciting a gasp form Lucia that trailed off into a soft sigh.</p>
<p>“Alucard,” Lucia moaned, arching herself further into his touch, feeling her face flush. “I—I’m close.”</p>
<p>“So am I,” Alucard murmured, his breathing coming faster as his hip bucked under Lucia in shorter, erratic thrusts. His hand not busy between Lucia’s legs moved to tangle in her hair. Lucia gave a soft sigh at that, leaning forward to kiss him, heat curling low in her stomach.</p>
<p>“Lucia, I—” Alucard gave a short cry, moaning against Lucia’s mouth and thrusting up into her as his body tensed, shuddering slightly as he rode out his orgasm. A moment later, Lucia dropped her forehead against Alucard’s shoulder, muffling her moans into his neck as her body tensed for a moment, trembling with her own orgasm.</p>
<p>Alucard hummed quietly, kissing the top of Lucia’s head as he wrapped his arms around her, gently rubbing slow circles over her back. Lucia smiled slightly, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. She shifted, after a moment, and moved off of Alucard. Alucard murmured under his breath, leaning back against the blankets and drawing Lucia on top of him, kissing her softly.</p>
<p>“How do you feel?” Lucia asked after a moment, resting her head on Alucard’s chest.</p>
<p>“Wonderful,” Alucard replied, smiling at her, his hands still tracing idle patterns over her skin. “And you?”</p>
<p>“Very much the same,” Lucia replied with a soft laugh, tracing her fingers across Alucard’s chest. “I love you.”</p>
<p>“And I you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>: Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Taka yawned loudly as they walked out of the castle, towards the lift that went down into the Belmont Hold. Lucia snickered slightly, stretching her arms over her head. Alucard held a small knapsack over his shoulder as he led the group, and Lucia glanced sideways at him before sidling up next to him and gently taking his hand, lacing their fingers together.</p>
<p>“I thought we were going to look at the rest of the armory today,” Taka said sleepily. “If it is, in fact, today.”</p>
<p>“Taka isn’t good at mornings,” Sumi said, raising one hand to rub her eyes.</p>
<p>“Sumi is better at mornings than anyone should be allowed to be,” Taka replied, nudging her gently with his elbow.</p>
<p>Sumi groaned, shaking her head slightly, glancing over at the sun, barely rising over the trees at this time. “This is too much morning, even for me. This is some extra morning.”</p>
<p>“It is so much morning that it’s actually still yesterday,” Taka said.</p>
<p>Lucia snorted a short laugh at that, her free hand coming up to her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sound. The corner of Alucard’s mouth quirked in a small smile as he glanced over his shoulder at Taka.</p>
<p>“Well, you shouldn’t have stayed up so late exploring the castle,” Alucard said mildly.</p>
<p>“We wanted to see the engine that moved the castle,” Sumi said.</p>
<p>Alucard tensed slightly, a small movement that the human eye would not have noticed. Lucia did, and she gently squeezed his hand, even as she bit the inside of her cheek and turned to look over her shoulder at Taka and Sumi.</p>
<p>“And what did you find?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“That it’s melted,” Taka said, glancing away and looking a little sheepish. “Like you told us.”</p>
<p>“Can it ever be fixed?” Sumi asked.</p>
<p>“Maybe,” Alucard said after a long moment, turning back to face forward again, walking purposefully, his expression distant and sad. He squeezed Lucia’s hand back. “But it would take a very long time, and there are other things to do…Follow me.”</p>
<p>Taka and Sumi exchanged a long look between them. Taka scowled. Lucia turned back to fall in step with Alucard, feeling like a silent conversation had passed between the two of them.</p>
<p>“What could be more important than that?” Taka asked.</p>
<p>“So many things,” Alucard replied as they reached the lift, and Lucia nodded towards the platform, leading Taka and Sumi out onto it. “Lucia and I are not going anywhere, Taka. The castle’s moved for the last time. I have places to guard.”</p>
<p>As he spoke, Alucard knelt to undo the ropes that held the lift in place. The platform swayed for a moment before slowly lowering down into the hold, and Taka and Sumi moved to grab the railing, even as they looked around curiously. Lucia smiled slightly as she watched them, but gently bit the inside of her cheek, their questions about moving the castle weighing on her mind.</p>
<p>“Who’s that?” Sumi asked, nodding towards a portrait that had fallen off the wall of the staircase, tilted where it had landed on the floor. Lucia turned her head sharply to look and hummed to herself. The portrait was one of Leon Belmont, dressed in his armor, with a blue and white overcoat and cloak draped over his shoulders.</p>
<p>“His name was Leon Belmont,” Lucia said, studying the portrait as the lift slowly passed it.</p>
<p>“He was the founder of the Belmont clan, and the first to move out here to Wallachia, at the end of the eleventh century, some three hundred...eighty, or so, years ago,” Alucard said, though his voice was slightly strained.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Lucia murmured, barely audible, and moved to stand next to him.</p>
<p>“My father knew Leon Belmont. There were portraits of him in the castle as well. There was…some rather personal history between them, it seems,” Alucard murmured back. “I never knew what, exactly, came to pass. But clearly it could not have ended well.”</p>
<p>The lift stopped at the floor level a moment later, and Alucard moved to fasten the latch to keep it in place before leading Taka and Sumi to the door that led into the rest of the library. He paused for a moment before pushing it open with a loud creak. Alucard dropped his knapsack by the door and moved to pull a lever that turned on the electric lights he had put down in the hold.</p>
<p>There was a quiet buzz as the lights turned on, and Lucia’s ears twitched towards the sound. The electric lights cast a soft, blue-ish light over the Hold. Taka and Sumi’s eyes went wide, and they grinned at each other before rushing to the balcony to look out over the rows of bookshelves.</p>
<p>“Magic lanterns!” Sumi exclaimed.</p>
<p>“Lightning, not magic,” Alucard said.</p>
<p>“You put lightning into lanterns and you tell us it’s not magic?” Taka asked, laughing slightly.</p>
<p>“It’s really not,” Alucard replied, moving to stand at the railing with them. “The Parthians were storing lightning in jars two hundred years before Christ.”</p>
<p>“In any case, this is the Belmont Hold,” Lucia said, standing next to Alucard, who gestured around towards the enormity of the library.</p>
<p>“The final repository of a family who spent generations learning how to do one thing; kill monsters. Including vampires. Shall we?” Alucard added, gesturing towards the stairs and offering his arm to Lucia. She smiled slightly as she took it. “You want to learn everything about killing vampires? The Belmonts made it their lives, and they wrote it all down.”</p>
<p>“Did your family as well?” Sumi asked Lucia, looking curiously at her. “You’ve mentioned that your family made hunting monsters their life’s work as well.”</p>
<p>“They have,” Lucia said softly. “For generations, the Savonas have hunted monsters, and presumably kept records of what they found, the same way the Belmonts have. But their stronghold like this, if they have one, would be all the way in Florence. Much more difficult to get to,” she added, forcing her tone to remain light.</p>
<p>“Where is that?” Taka asked. “Where is Florence?”</p>
<p>“Much farther west than here,” Lucia replied. “Near the southern border of the Holy Roman Empire, not terribly far from France, either. It would take months to get there, and I’m…not entirely sure the Savonas would be very welcoming of me right now.”</p>
<p><em>They wouldn’t, </em>Lucia thought bitterly. <em>They’ll have catalogued a hundred different ways to kill a vampire, and I doubt they would even hesitate to kill me after having disowned my mother. </em></p>
<p>“Do you understand the anatomy of a vampire?” Alucard asked abruptly, carefully reaching for Lucia’s hand as they walked. She smiled slightly to herself, squeezing slightly.</p>
<p>“You put a stabby thing into their heart, and they go boom,” Taka replied, gesturing with his hands.</p>
<p>“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Alucard said dryly. Lucia snickered, rolling her eyes slightly. The books she had read concerning vampire anatomy—particularly their venom and what it does—rose unbidden to the front of her mind, and she shook herself mentally, pushing the thought aside. “Good start, though.”</p>
<p>“What about…people?” Sumi asked, and Lucia raised an eyebrow at her.</p>
<p>“I’m fairly sure you know how to kill people,” Alucard said.</p>
<p>“Cho had many human warrior slaves,” Sumi said. “Maybe more than we can take on our own.”</p>
<p>“Well, we can look at tactics,” Alucard replied.</p>
<p>“And the lightning lamps? Can lightning be used as a weapon, too?” Taka asked. “Could you make lightning kill a lot of people at once?”</p>
<p>Alucard paused, his expression suddenly guarded, and turned to look over his shoulder at Taka, his golden gaze steely. “Let’s start small, shall we?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Sumi replied. “We are just worried about a lot of things. You are both being incredibly kind, and we are very grateful.”</p>
<p>“I know you’re worried,” Alucard said. “But you need to understand that I’m not just passing on ways to murder people.”</p>
<p>“I do,” Taka insisted. “It’s just that the odds are so stacked against us. I can’t sleep. That’s why I was wandering around the castle all night. Sumi was just keeping me company.”</p>
<p>Lucia glanced over at them, biting her lower lip slightly, fangs pricking into the skin. “And you just happened across the engine room?”</p>
<p>“It came up while we were talking, and roaming the halls,” Sumi said carefully. “And we were curious about it.”</p>
<p>“Alright, alright,” Alucard said, glancing over at them and turning to face them both as they came to the bottom of the stairs. “But you do need to understand. I’m sharing all of this with you so that you’ll remember it, and pass it on. Not just the <em>war-making. </em>Everything.”</p>
<p>“You could use this knowledge to help not only yourselves, but others,” Lucia added. “The rest of your people you want to help, to save. Remember this, teach it to them, so they know how to identify monsters, and defend themselves and the people they care about.”</p>
<p>“I think Trevor Belmont would like the idea of equipping a new generation of monster hunters,” Alucard said, smiling slightly.  </p>
<p>Alucard wandered off after a moment in search of books about battle tactics. Lucia paused at the lectern, murmuring under her breath as she read, and then led Taka and Sumi to a section about vampires, and stacks of books about vampire anatomy. The three of them set the books down on a nearby table, pulled up chairs, and set to reading.</p>
<p>“Are there books down here about dhampirs?” Sumi asked.</p>
<p>“There are,” Lucia said slowly. “There are a few. It seems half-vampire, half-human hybrids are very rare, though, and not much is known about us.”</p>
<p>“Have you met any others?” Taka asked after a moment. “Besides Alucard, I mean.”</p>
<p>Lucia hummed quietly to herself, looking up to study Taka and Sumi for a moment before nodding. “I have met a few others, yes. But I don’t keep in touch with any of them. I couldn’t say where they are now.”</p>
<p>Taka pursed his lips, making a face, but nodded and turned his attention back to the book he was reading about combat magic. Sumi looked lost in through for a moment, absently brushing a stray piece of hair from her face. Lucia hummed thoughtfully for a moment before standing up and leaving them at the table in search of Alucard.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Sumi, come look at this!” Taka exclaimed, holding up the pair of cuffs he had found on the shelf, thick, sturdy, and silver-grey in color.</p>
<p>“What are they?” Sumi asked, furrowing her eyebrows and tilting her head curiously.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure,” Taka replied. “The page here says they’re a powerful weapon for fighting vampires. It says to check the lectern for more information.”</p>
<p>“Well let’s go, then,” Sumi replied, nodding towards the lectern.</p>
<p>Taka nodded as he followed after her, idly twirling the cuffs around his fingers. Sumi rolled her eyes at him, flipping through the pages of the book at the lectern until she found the entry about the cuffs, reading quickly before waving a hand at Taka to beckon him over.</p>
<p>“Here, look,” Sumi said softly, gesturing to the page, then to the cuffs. “Those cuffs are heavily enchanted, and made of silver, so that they can hurt vampires. They are a powerful weapon for fighting them, like those notes said. They will uncoil and wrap around the limbs of a vampire if you get one of the cuffs on them. It will completely immobilize them.”</p>
<p>“That way you can kill them,” Taka added. Sumi hummed quietly, nodding. “But look, it also says that silver only affects some vampires, not all of them. That consecrated weapons, or heavily enchanted ones like this, are better for fighting vampires.”</p>
<p>“I see,” Sumi said, looking between the page and the cuffs Taka still held. “We should hold onto those cuffs. We will need them.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clarissa purred softly, winding her way between Lucia’s feet as she moved about the kitchen, gathering the ingredients she needed for her baking. Lucia laughed softly, looking fondly down at the cat as she reached for jars of strawberry jam she had made. She then reached over for a bowl, mixing the dough for the tarts she planned to make, humming softly to herself as she did.</p>
<p>Lucia’s ear twitched towards the sound of sleepy grumbling and shuffling feet, and she smiled slightly as she turned to see Taka and Sumi enter the kitchen. Taka’s hair was still loose and messy from where he slept, and while Sumi looked slightly more awake, she rubbed her eyes and yawned hugely.</p>
<p>“Late night?” Lucia asked, smiling slightly. “Good morning, by the way.”</p>
<p>“It’s morning,” Taka said. “Not sure if it’s a good one or not yet.”</p>
<p>“We were up late reading some books Alucard let us bring up from the Belmont Hold,” Sumi said, taking a seat at the kitchen table.</p>
<p>Lucia hummed quietly as she continued to mix the dough. “Were you reading anything interesting?”</p>
<p>“We found a few of the books about dhampirs,” Taka said. “About their biology, how it’s both vampire and human.”</p>
<p>“About how some of the abilities they have can vary because of that, and because of what their vampire parent is able to do,” Sumi added.</p>
<p>“I see,” Lucia said, reaching for the jar of honey and mixing some into the dough. “I read some of those books a while ago myself. It was…the first I was able to find much information about dhampirs.”</p>
<p>“It was?” Taka asked, furrowing his eyebrows. Lucia glanced over at him, giving a small, wry smile.</p>
<p>“We’re not exactly common. And there really is not much information to be had about dhampirs, no,” she said.</p>
<p>“I see,” Sumi said softly, nodding. “Is it true that dhampirs inherit the vampiric abilities of their vampire parent?”</p>
<p>“As far as I know, yes,” Lucia said slowly, pausing where she was kneading the dough to look over at Sumi. Clarissa shifted, gently headbutting Lucia’s leg before carefully moving to approach Taka and Sumi, sniffing curiously, but still cautious.</p>
<p>“So, you would have the same abilities as your father? And Alucard to his?” Taka asked, carefully reaching one hand down to let Clarissa sniff him.</p>
<p>Lucia paused, her hands stilling where she was separating small balls of dough for the tarts, and she hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, that’s right. Though, admittedly, I don’t know if my father had any outstanding abilities among vampires. I’ve certainly never discovered that I could do anything out of the ordinary for vampires. As a dhampir though, it was a little strange growing up.”</p>
<p>“Strange how?” Sumi asked, tilting her head curiously.</p>
<p>“Did you just suddenly sprout fangs one day?” Taka asked, laughing and bringing his pointer fingers up to his mouth to mimic fangs.</p>
<p>“Not as such, no,” Lucia replied, snickering slightly. “You know how you lose teeth when you’re very young, and your adult teeth grow in in their place. I did that with my fangs, and when my full-sized fangs grew in, I was about seven years old, and they were too big for my mouth. I spoke a little funny for months.”</p>
<p>Sumi snickered quietly at that, one hand coming up to her mouth. Taka laughed loudly, and Clarissa startled slightly at the sound.</p>
<p>“What else can you tell us?” Taka asked.</p>
<p>“What? You want to hear <em>all </em>my embarrassing baby stories?” Lucia asked, raising an eyebrow and laughing softly. “I’ll give you one more for now. I didn’t always have such control over my speed and strength, and my mother often told me that when I was very young and learning how to walk, I would run around in bursts of vampiric speed, and then collapse and take a nap wherever I happened to decide I was too tired to continue…” she trailed off, laughing.</p>
<p>Taka had been trying not to laugh throughout the story, and when Lucia did so first, Taka laughed loudly. Sumi joined in, both of their dark eyes sparkling. Sumi reached down after a moment to get Clarissa’s attention. The cat carefully moved to sniff Sumi’s hand, and startled when Sumi reached to pet her, hissing slightly. Sumi made a soft cooing sound and reached again to pet Clarissa. The cat hissed more intensely and turned to bite Sumi’s hand when she got too close for Clarissa’s comfort.</p>
<p>Sumi yelped in pain, jerking her hand back, and Clarissa backed away, her ears flat against her head, and darted out of the kitchen. Taka quickly stood and moved around the table, reaching a hand out to squeeze Sumi’s shoulder. Lucia’s nostrils flared slightly at the smell of the blood, and she whirled around to face them, reaching to draw Sumi over to the sink and turning on the faucet to wash off her hand.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry about that,” Lucia said, pursing her lips. “Clarissa can still be skittish sometimes. She frightens easily. Here, keep your hand under the water while I go get you something to bandage that with.”</p>
<p>“The blood doesn’t bother you?” Taka asked, looking warily at Lucia.</p>
<p>Lucia shook her head, huffing away a stray piece of hair that fell into her face. “No. I don’t drink human blood. I’ve always needed both blood and food, but I only drink animal blood. It’s always been easier anyway, especially when I’m traveling. I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>Lucia disappeared in a flash of red, returning a moment later with a small roll of bandages, beckoning Sumi to sit back down. Sumi did, sitting back at the table, and Lucia quickly wrapped and bandaged her hand where Clarissa had bitten her.</p>
<p>“And what of Alucard?” Sumi asked, flexing her hand once Lucia had bandaged it, looking up at her.</p>
<p>“What about him?” Lucia asked, knitting her eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Does he need blood too?” Sumi clarified.</p>
<p>Lucia shook her head slightly. “No, he doesn’t. It seems some dhampirs can survive just on human food, though some need blood.”</p>
<p>“Is that another thing that dhampirs inherit from their vampire parents?” Taka asked.</p>
<p>“I think so,” Lucia replied.</p>
<p>“So would Alucard have inherited the same abilities as his father?” Sumi asked, tilting her head slightly.</p>
<p>“And would that make him more powerful than you?” Taka added.</p>
<p>Lucia paused at that, humming softly under her breath. <em>Why are they so curious all of a sudden? Why do they want to know so specifically what I can do? What Alucard can? Why draw such close comparison when they’ve seen us fight? They should know we’re rather evenly matched regardless of Alucard’s shapeshifting, </em>she thought. Part of her wondered what they might want with this information, so specifically targeted at her and Alucard, and it sat uneasily in her mind.  </p>
<p>“It stands to reason that Alucard would have inherited the same abilities as his father,” Lucia said slowly, turning back to the counter and filling the tarts she was making with strawberry jam. “And while that might make him more powerful than me in terms of vampiric abilities, it doesn’t make him a better fighter. I thought you would have caught on to that given how often you watch us spar each other.”</p>
<p>“Fair point,” Sumi said, humming thoughtfully, and glanced at Taka. Lucia glanced between the two of them, narrowing her eyes slightly.</p>
<p>“How does your hand feel, Sumi?” Lucia asked, nodding towards her.</p>
<p>“A bit better now. It definitely hurts less. Thank you for bandaging it for me,” Sumi replied, smiling slightly.</p>
<p>Lucia returned the expression, though the smile felt slightly off on her face, and she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. “Of course. It’s no trouble at all.”</p>
<p>Alucard appeared in the doorway of the kitchen a moment later, golden eyes glancing around cautiously. “I heard a bit of a commotion down here. Is everything alright?”</p>
<p>“Clarissa bit Sumi,” Taka said, looking up to Alucard.</p>
<p>“What?” Alucard asked, his eyes widening as he looked to Sumi.</p>
<p>“I tried to pet her, and I must have frightened her,” Sumi said, shaking her head slightly. “Lucia bandaged my hand. I’m fine.”</p>
<p>Alucard relaxed slightly, nodding, and crossed the room to pull Lucia into a hug, kissing her forehead. “Have you eaten breakfast yet?”</p>
<p>“I have,” Lucia replied, hugging him back and smiling at the kiss. “I don’t think Taka and Sumi have yet, though.”</p>
<p>“We have not,” Taka said, perking up at the prospect of breakfast.</p>
<p>Alucard chuckled softly, nodding and reluctantly pulling back from Lucia. “I’ll make you something, then. And then, I think, I want to do some more sparring. Perhaps see what Taka has learned in his magic studies.”</p>
<p>After breakfast found the four of them on the grass outside the castle. Lucia hummed softly, letting her eyes flutter shut as she turned her head towards the breeze, letting it waft through her hair and over her face. Taka stood a little farther away from the others, fidgeting nervously as he murmured under his breath some of the spells he had studied.</p>
<p>“Start with something simple, Taka,” Alucard said, moving to stand near him. “I know you can do it. Perhaps try to create a small flame, one you can hold in your hand?”</p>
<p>“Fire is easy?” Sumi asked, raising her eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Comparatively,” Alucard said, turning back to Taka. “Remember, so much of magic has to do with your will, and bringing it into the world. If you will something into the world, it will come to exist.”</p>
<p>Taka nodded. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before bringing his hands up, one palm up and the other facing down, though leaving space between the two. For a long moment, Alucard, Sumi, and Lucia watched intently. Lucia barely dared to breath as she watched Taka’s brow furrow in concentration.</p>
<p>Suddenly, a small flame sprang to life in Taka’s palm, and his eyes went wide. He huffed a short, breathless laugh, looking over at them, then back to the flame, as if he was afraid it would disappear. Sumi let out a shocked laugh, grinning widely. Lucia smiled brightly, clapping her hands together excitedly. Alucard laughed softly, carefully approaching Taka.</p>
<p>“Well done,” Alucard said, smiling. “You’ll be a fully realized magician in no time.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Castlevania in any shape, form or iteration, nor do I own any of the characters. It’s all the show’s creators, and Netflix, etc. Not me, fam. I don't own it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucia hummed softly as she reclined in the reading nook, curled up in a nest of blankets and pillows and idly reading a book of poetry. They had taken Lucia’s suggestion of building a reading nook from the massive hole in the wall of one of the corridors after covering it with a tapestry. Alucard had wired electric lights into the reading nook so they would not have to risk lighting candles in the small space. These lights were different from the cold, blue lights that hung down in the Belmont Hold; they were more similar to many of the lights in the castle, a more buttery-yellow light that mimicked the warmth and glow of candles.</p>
<p>Lucia’s ears twitched slightly towards the sound of rustling fabric and soft footsteps, and turned her head to see Alucard climb into the reading nook. He leaned forward to capture her lips in a brief kiss, pulling away only to settle behind her, propping his elbow up on the pillows, stretching his legs out to the side the same way Lucia had, and draping an arm over her waist.</p>
<p>“So, this is where you’ve been hiding,” Alucard said playfully, drawing Lucia close against him and kissing her cheek.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know you were looking for me,” Lucia replied, tilting her head back to look up at him.</p>
<p>“Can I be faulted for wanting to spend a quiet night with you?” Alucard asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly. “For wanting to snuggle you in a nest of blankets, feel your warmth against me, and take a moment to breathe you in…And read love poetry?” he added, glancing at the book that still lay open in front of Lucia.</p>
<p>“I guess not,” Lucia replied softly, smiling up at him where she had leaned her head back against his shoulder. “Especially not when you say it so beautifully.”</p>
<p>Alucard smiled, leaning down to kiss Lucia’s forehead. She smiled, scrunching her nose as she leaned into the touch, and then tilted her head slightly to leave a soft, lingering kiss against his neck. Alucard’s breath hitched slightly at that, and Lucia smirked slightly against his skin before pulling away to settle leaning back against him. Alucard hummed softly, reading over Lucia’s shoulder, his hand on her waist tracing light patterns, idly dipping beneath the hem of her shirt to trail over her skin.</p>
<p>Lucia smiled, leaning back to settle comfortably against Alucard’s chest, enjoying the quiet moment alone. Taka and Sumi had gone to bed, or were otherwise exploring the castle on their own. <em>But what would they be searching for on their own? The engine room again? Or something else? </em>She wondered. Lucia paused, shaking her head slightly as if to dislodge the thought and almost afraid she would summon the two by thinking it. Even so, she found her thoughts straying back to Taka and Sumi, the words of her book blurring slightly as she unfocused from them. <em>Why do they want to know so much about the engine room, about if it can be fixed or how it moved? What were they planning to do if it did, or could be?</em></p>
<p>“Lucia?” Alucard’s voice stirred Lucia from her thoughts. “Are you alright? You seem troubled?”</p>
<p>“Do I?” Lucia asked, tilting her head back to look up at him.</p>
<p>“You feel tense,” Alucard murmured, his hand at her waist squeezing gently. “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>“I’m thinking about Taka and Sumi,” Lucia admitted, pursing her lips slightly. “They’ve been acting…strangely, lately. Something about it is putting me on edge.”</p>
<p> “How so?” Alucard asked, and Lucia watched his brow furrow as he sat up a little straighter, his arm tightening around her.</p>
<p>“They seem very secretive. And I don’t mean that I want to pry into their lives too much, of course. There are certainly things we haven’t shared with them about our personal lives, but…I feel like they’re not telling us everything, particularly about why they came here,” Lucia replied.</p>
<p>Alucard nodded. “If I may, they have been like that since they arrived here. I don’t know that they’ve been entirely honest with us. But…They’ve needed our help, Lucia. They want to help their people.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Lucia said softly, nodding. “And I think their hearts are in the right place as well. But…They’re very focused on the fighting, not the knowledge or history we want them to be able to pass on to people to protect themselves with.”</p>
<p>“It does seem a bit shortsighted,” Alucard admitted. “But given their circumstances, I think I can understand that.”</p>
<p>“True,” Lucia murmured, tilting her head back to look up at Alucard. “It seems they also did not plan on having someone here to teach them.”</p>
<p>“Oh, almost certainly not,” Alucard said, shaking his head slightly. Lucia paused at that, quirking an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“You think they planned on finding the castle empty, taking what they needed and going home?” Lucia asked.</p>
<p>“I do think so, yes,” Alucard said quietly, nodding.</p>
<p>“You would know that particular part better than I would,” Lucia murmured. “You met them out in the woods that day…What were they like, then? They seem…different now, and I’m not sure what to make of it.”</p>
<p>Alucard was quiet for a long moment, as if thinking, and his expression shuttered, unreadable. “They tried to kill me.”</p>
<p>“What?” Lucia asked, her eyes huge, and she rolled over to face Alucard, her book falling off her lap, forgotten. “They did what?”</p>
<p>“They were going to attack me,” Alucard said. “I stopped them, and they seemed surprised that I did, but…Once I heard their story, I invited them back to the castle. I thought we could help, could teach them. That was the first time they asked me if it still moved.”</p>
<p>“They seem very fixated on that as well,” Lucia remarked, pursing her lips. “It’s as if they’re hoping one day, we’ll say that we repaired the engine and the castle can move again.”</p>
<p>“Well, then they would be able to bring the castle and all its knowledge home to Japan,” Alucard said, and there was worry evident in his tone.</p>
<p>“You think that’s what they wanted?” Lucia asked softly, looking up at him. “To take the castle back to Japan to fight the rest of Cho’s court and rescue their people?”</p>
<p>“I think it would certainly explain their fixation on it,” Alucard said, humming softly.</p>
<p>A heavy silence fell over them, and Lucia shifted uncomfortably, trying desperately to keep up with her racing thoughts. <em>What if that is what they wanted? What if they only spared Alucard because he might be able to show them how to use the castle? If they decided not to kill us yet because they need the information we’re giving them. What happens then, once we stop being useful to them? They’ve tried to kill Alucard before. What’s stopping them from trying again now that they have weapons they know will kill vampires? </em></p>
<p>“Alucard,” Lucia said finally, her voice wavering as she fought to speak past the lump now lodged in her throat.</p>
<p>“Lucia?” Alucard replied, his voice tight, and when he looked down at her, his eyes were wet.</p>
<p>“What if that’s still their plan?” Lucia asked, biting her lip. “To gather as much information from us as they can, get us to teach them how to move the castle, and then…Take it. What if that’s why they ask so much about the castle?”</p>
<p>“You think they would take it from us?” Alucard asked. “They would have to fight us if they wanted to take it by force. I hate to think that they would. Lucia, they’re our friends.”</p>
<p>There was doubt in his voice. Lucia heard it, and she felt it as well, squeezing her heart like a vice. She let out a soft, whining sound and looked up at him with tears in her eyes. <em>I thought they were out friends too, </em>she thought.  </p>
<p>“They’ve tried to kill you before,” Lucia said. “And now we’ve…trained them to fight, given them weapons we know to be effective against vampires. Who’s to say they won’t try again, once we stop being <em>useful </em>to them?”</p>
<p>“We’ve given them the tools they would use to kill us,” Alucard said, his arms tightening around Lucia again. He let out a shaking breath and pulled her closer, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “We don’t…We don’t know this for certain, Lucia.”</p>
<p>“No, we don’t,” Lucia murmured, holding Alucard tightly. He trembled in her arms, though Lucia knew she must be shaking as well. She sniffled, pressing her forehead against Aluacrd’s chest. “But I don’t think we can ignore the possibility any longer…Alucard they’ve been asking about our abilities as dhampirs as well. What I can do that’s different from vampires, what sort of vampiric weaknesses affect me, which ones might affect you and if it makes you stronger than me.”</p>
<p>“It seems as if they’re sizing us up to fight,” Alucard said quietly, and began running a hand through Lucia’s hair, as if to reassure her he would protect her, or remind himself she was still there. “Doesn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Lucia replied, nodding slightly.</p>
<p>“I thought they were our <em>friends,” </em>Alucard said, his voice breaking. “I thought they were friends, that we could help them, trust them. Instead, I’ve put us in danger. I’ve put <em>you </em>in harm’s way, Lucia. I’m so sorry.”</p>
<p>“Don’t,” Lucia murmured, hugging him closer. “Don’t apologize, Alucard. Don’t apologize for wanting to believe the best of people. I did too. I think much of any of this before either.”</p>
<p>“What do we do now?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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